Short Range Transit Plan - Mariposa County Transit

PREPARED FOR MARIPOSA COUNTY LOCAL TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

SHORT RANGE TRANSIT PLAN - MARIPOSA COUNTY TRANSIT

Final Report

AUGUST 2011

Short Range Transit Plan - Mariposa County Transit • F INAL MARIPOSA COUNTY LOCAL TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

Table of Contents Page

Chapter 1. Executive Summary ...... 1-1 Planning Context ...... 1-1 Existing Transit Services ...... 1-1 Data Collection and Public Input ...... 1-2 Goals, Objectives, Standards and Service Policies ...... 1-2 Service Plan ...... 1-2 Capital and Financial Plan ...... 1-5 SRTP Report Format ...... 1-6 Chapter 2. Demographic Profile ...... 2-1 County Description and Demographic Summary ...... 2-1 Population Characteristics ...... 2-1 Population Growth ...... 2-2 Projected Future Growth ...... 2-3 Income Status ...... 2-4 Employment ...... 2-4 Access to a Vehicle ...... 2-5 Population/Employment Density ...... 2-6 Transit Dependency ...... 2-8 Projected Demand for Public Transportation ...... 2-8 New and Future Development Projects ...... 2-10 Chapter 3. Existing Transit Services ...... 3-1 Introduction ...... 3-1 Public Transit Operators ...... 3-1 Other Transportation Services in Mariposa County ...... 3-4 Chapter 4. Public Outreach ...... 4-1 Surveys ...... 4-1 Public Workshops & Meetings ...... 4-5 Stakeholder Interviews ...... 4-9 Chapter 5. Needs Assessment ...... 5-1 Opportunities for Enhancing Transit Services in Mariposa County ...... 5-3 Chapter 6. Goals, Objectives, and Standards ...... 6-1 Goals and Objectives ...... 6-1 Peer Review ...... 6-3 Recommended Goals, Objectives, and Standards ...... 6-8 Service Policies ...... 6-12 Chapter 7. Service Plan ...... 7-1 Introduction ...... 7-1 Mariposa Circulation Alternatives ...... 7-1 Lifeline Service to Oakhurst ...... 7-6 North County Service ...... 7-6 Implementation of Mobility Management ...... 7-7 Marketing ...... 7-10

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Table of Contents Page

Chapter 8. Capital and Financial Plan ...... 8-1 Operating Cost Projections ...... 8-1 Capital Requirements ...... 8-3 Existing Operating and Capital Revenues ...... 8-4 Potential Revenue Sources ...... 8-6 Financial Summary ...... 8-7

Appendix A. Meeting Flyer Appendix B. Meeting Handout Appendix C. Newspaper Ad Appendix D. Mariposa Meeting Sign-In Sheet Appendix E. Surveys - Mari-Go and Medi-Trans

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Table of Figures Page

Figure 1-1 Alternative C – Route Concept ...... 1-4 Figure 1-2 Summary Five - Year Financial Plan ...... 1-6

Figure 2-1 Basic Population Characteristics (2000 and 2010) ...... 2-1 Figure 2-2 Population Growth for Mariposa County 2000-2010 ...... 2-3 Figure 2-3 Projected Growth for Mariposa County ...... 2-3 Figure 2-4 Income Status for Mariposa County (2009) ...... 2-4 Figure 2-5 Largest Employers in Mariposa County ...... 2-5 Figure 2-6 Households with No Vehicle Available ...... 2-5 Figure 2-7 Mariposa County 2000 Population/Employment Density ...... 2-7 Figure 2-8 Mariposa County 2000 Transit Dependency Index ...... 2-9

Figure 3-1 Summary of Mariposa County Transit Services ...... 3-2 Figure 3-2 Mariposa Transit Fleet ...... 3-3 Figure 3-3 Financial and Operating Performance (FYs 2006 through 2010) ...... 3-4 Figure 3-4 Summary of YARTS Service ...... 3-5 Figure 3-5 YARTS Fares for Highway 140 Route ...... 3-6 Figure 3-6 YARTS Commuter Pass Fares (Highway 140 Route) ...... 3-7 Figure 3-7 Mariposa County Transit Service and Activity Centers ...... 3-11

Figure 4-1 Surveys Collected on Mari-Go and Medi-Trans, March 2011 ...... 4-1 Figure 4-2 Origins and Destinations, Mari-Go and Medi-Trans, 2008 and 2011 ...... 4-2 Figure 4-3 Transportation Options ...... 4-2 Figure 4-4 Mari-Go and Medi-Trans Service Ratings ...... 4-3 Figure 4-5 Mariposa SRTP Public Meetings ...... 4-6

Figure 6-1 Peer Agency Characteristics and Performance Data ...... 6-5 Figure 6-2 Passengers per Revenue Hour ...... 6-6 Figure 6-3 Operating Cost per Revenue Hour ...... 6-6 Figure 6-4 Operating Cost per Passenger ...... 6-7 Figure 6-5 Average Fare per Passenger ...... 6-7 Figure 6-6 Farebox Recovery Ratio ...... 6-8 Figure 6-7 Recommended Goals, Objectives, Performance Measures and Standards ...... 6-9 Figure 6-8 Recommended Service Policies ...... 6-14

Figure 7-1 Conceptual Schedule (Midday) for Alternative B – Hybrid Dial-a-Ride and Scheduled Stops ...... 7-4 Figure 7-2 Conceptual Schedule (Midday) for Alternative C – Local Mariposa Circulator .. 7-4 Figure 7-3 Alternative C – Route Concept ...... 7-5 Figure 7-4 Conceptual Schedule for Lifeline Service to/from Oakhurst ...... 7-6

Figure 8-1 Operating Costs and Revenue Projections ...... 8-2 Figure 8-2 Performance Indicators ...... 8-3 Figure 8-3 Five-Year Capital Budget ...... 8-3 Figure 8-4 Summary Five - Year Financial Plan ...... 8-8

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Chapter 1. Executive Summary It has been over ten years since a Short Range Transit Plan (SRTP) was developed for Mariposa County Transit (or “Mari-Go”, which are used interchangeably in this report). The last Plan was prepared in 1997 in collaboration with the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation Study. The reason for updating the Plan now is to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the Mari-Go system, recommend performance measures and a method for ongoing evaluation, and to develop a capital improvement program and a sustainable five-year financial plan.

Planning Context Mariposa County is primarily rural, with a widely dispersed population and no incorporated towns. The population grew by over 6% during the last decade, and is expected to continue to grow modestly and steadily through 2030. The proportion of seniors will grow even faster than the general population; in 2000, less than one in five Mariposa County residents was over 65 years of age, but by 2030 this proportion is expected to increase to one in three. Mariposa County has a higher percentage of seniors and low-income residents than in California generally, with almost a quarter of the residents of the town of Mariposa with incomes below the poverty level. Much of the employment in the area is related to recreational and hospitality services for travelers going to Yosemite National Park. As the transit-dependent population of low-income residents, seniors, and commuters continues to grow, the role of public transit to provide mobility for Mariposa residents will continue to increase in importance. An effort is underway to address the increasing need for transportation coupled with decreasing resources is the development of a mobility management program to provide a single resource for transportation services. Several social service agencies and transportation providers are involved in this process. Other efforts include implementation of the recommendations of the Mari-Go Transit Marketing Plan to increase awareness about transportation services. Mariposa County also continues its financial commitment for and coordination with YARTS to serve both commuters and recreational visitors.

Existing Transit Services Mariposa County Transit operates two services: Mari-Go, a curb-to-curb dial-a-ride service serving the general public, and Medi-Trans, a medical transport service. Mari-Go operates one bus in the north part of the county and another in the south on weekdays. Each day of the week, Mari-Go serves a different corridor or area, organizing passenger pickups by location. Until very recently, Mari-Go connected seniors in the north county with the Adult Day Health Center in Sonora; however, that center has ceased operations due to funding cuts. Medi-Trans serves seniors and veterans during the same hours and days as Mari-Go. Other transportation services in Mariposa include YARTS, serving both recreational visitors and employees of Yosemite National Park and other businesses focused on recreational travelers;

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and a host of social service transportation providers serving specific populations such as seniors, people with physical or developmental disabilities, or school children.

Data Collection and Public Input A public input process for this SRTP planning process included surveys, stakeholder interviews and public meetings. Several themes emerged: • The Mari-Go system is greatly appreciated and needed by those who use it. Survey respondents rated all aspects of the service as very good or excellent. Almost half of survey respondents said that if the service did not exist, they would not have taken their trip at all. • Riders and drivers are also acutely aware that the service is underutilized, primarily because local residents think only seniors and people with disabilities are eligible to use the service. Participants understood that the service needs to attract more riders – both seniors and the general public – and public comments focused in large part on how to better market the service to increase ridership. • Service requests identified by stakeholders to destinations outside the county include Wal- Mart in Merced and Sonora, the Fresno Airport and various locations in Oakhurst. • Some stakeholders also expressed the desire for a fixed-route service to circulate within Mariposa to connect the new Human Services Department building, stores and other major generators. • Some stakeholders expressed a desire for both Saturday and Sunday transit service. • Drivers and passengers noted that the smaller vans cannot adequately accommodate packages, which is a constraint for shopping trips. Larger vehicles are desired for all trips.

Goals, Objectives, Standards and Service Policies This SRTP recommends a series of goals, objectives and performance standards to help guide development of the service and provide benchmarks for assessing performance trends. The proposed performance standards are based on experience and trends at other rural operators and performance trends of Mariposa Transit. As a companion to this SRTP, a digital workbook has been prepared to assist staff in monitoring performance trends. Also recommended are a series of service policies to help clarify the relationship between the transit provider and the customer. They provide a set of guidelines for how customers, the transit provider, and transit agency staff can effectively work together. Transit service policies also help insure that riders are treated equally and fairly and support drivers when enforcing rules on the bus. Please refer to Chapter 6 for details on the goals and objectives and service policies.

Service Plan Mari-Go services meets basic mobility needs within the county. The Service Plan recommends alternatives to enhance service opportunities and to increase ridership and reach a broader segment of the population.

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Local Service The Plan recommends three alternatives for providing local service in Mariposa. The goal is to enhance service and increase transit visibility in town, as well as provide service to the new Human Services Center. The three alternatives are: • Alternative A - Scheduled Pick-Ups for DHS Clients at Local Parking Lots - Transit service would continue to be operated as a local dial-a-ride, but would have specific pick-up times at the Public Parking Lot on Stroming Rd. and at the YARTS Park-and-Ride lot. There would be a scheduled departure from the Human Services Center around 1:00 PM, with drop-offs at the two parking lots. Dial-a-ride service would continue to operate during the same hours and times as it currently does. • Alternative B – Hybrid Dial-a-Ride and Scheduled Stops - This alternative builds on Alternative A, providing a regular stop location in Mariposa that the bus would serve every 30 minutes during the hours of operation in town. It could also include some other dedicated stops. The purpose of having specific scheduled stops is to enable transit to accommodate on-demand trips by people who “walk on” and make a trip request. The local bus operating in town would serve specific timepoints at specific times midday, and then would travel where requested. • Alternative C – Local Mariposa Circulator – This alternative is designed primarily to make local transit service more attractive to general public users, by operating on a fixed route schedule, with some limited deviations strictly for ADA-eligible riders. Under this alternative, the shuttle would circulate every 30 minutes providing coverage to most of central Mariposa as shown in Figure 1-1. It should be noted that under this alternative a fixed schedule could be used in combination with Alternative A or Alternative B on Thursdays. In other words, the circulator could operate midday only, with demand- response or hybrid service available for the remainder of the day.

Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc. • Page 1-3 Figure 1-1 Alternative C – Route Concept

Upon request or call ahead

John C Fremont Hospital Senior 49 Human Services Center HOSPITAL Center (DHS) Transit 140 Office SPRIGGS

HWY 49

SMITH SMITH MUELLER

DMV

OLD HWY N

HWY 140

Rite-Aid YARTS Chamber of Commerce Park-and-Ride Lot JONES

STANDEN PARK 12TH Government Center 11TH HWY 140/49 Courthouse BULLION JESSIE

8TH

STROMING 6TH

Public Parking Lot 5TH

140

0 0.25 0.5 Miles Short Range Transit Plan - Mariposa County Transit • FINAL

MARIPOSA COUNTY LOCAL TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

All three of these alternatives are presented because it may be appropriate to implement each, in progression, as ridership increases within the town of Mariposa. Thus, alternatives A and B can be seen as phases toward the development of a local circulator (Alternative C). Transit will appeal to a larger population group than the current demand-response users, and many non- riders, including visitors, would likely be more comfortable being able to hop on and off a community circulator than calling ahead to reserve a trip for a short local ride.

Implementation of Mobility Management Mariposa County Transit is in the process of implementing a mobility management program to coordinate transportation throughout the County. The role of the mobility management program is to centralize the various coordinated transportation activities in one place, providing a single link to all of the primary transportation services available to seniors, people with disabilities and people with low incomes. The mobility management function consists of several individual elements including marketing and public outreach, trip planning and travel navigation assistance, a transportation voucher program, a driver training program, a senior driver safety training program and other related elements.

Capital and Financial Plan Figure 1-2 presents the financial plan for the next five years. It summarizes the operating and capital costs by year and the funding sources to pay for system wide costs. It shows that operating costs in FY 2011/12 are just under $424,000 and gradually increase to $469,000 in FY 2015/16 as service levels increase with the introduction of enhanced local service in town and lifeline service to Oakhurst. Capital expenses are relatively minimal with vehicle replacements scheduled in years 2 and 5 of the SRTP. Existing funding sources are assumed to continue for the next five years and are conservatively projected given the downturn in the economy. The funding plan demonstrates that the service is financially sustainable in the next five years.

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Figure 1-2 Summary Five - Year Financial Plan

FY 2011/12 FY 2012/13 FY 2013/14 FY 2014/15 FY 2015/16

System Expenses Operating Expenses $424,399 $461,651 $450,510 $459,634 $469,033 Capital Expenses $24,000 $102,400 $10,000 $132,418 $10,000 Total Expenses $448,399 $564,051 $460,510 $592,053 $479,033

Revenues Passenger Fares $25,515 $30,849 $32,789 $34,730 $40,452 FTA 5311 Funds $70,500 $70,500 $70,500 $70,500 $70,500 Proposition 1B $14,000 $10,000 $0 $35,000 $0 Area Agency on Aging (AAA) $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 STAF $42,000 $42,000 $42,000 $42,000 $42,000 TDA (Capital & Operating) $266,384 $380,702 $285,221 $379,823 $296,081 Total Revenues $448,399 $564,051 $460,510 $592,053 $479,033

SRTP Report Format There are eight chapters in the Mariposa County SRTP: • Chapter 1, Executive Summary • Chapter 2, Demographic Profile • Chapter 3, Existing Transit Services • Chapter 4, Public Outreach, Surveys and Stakeholder Interviews • Chapter 5, Needs Assessment • Chapter 6, Goals, Objectives and Service Policies • Chapter 7, Service Plan • Chapter 8, Capital and Financial Plan

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Chapter 2. Demographic Profile This chapter describes the physical and demographic landscape of Mariposa County. Population figures use a combination of data from the California Department of Finance Estimates, the Census 2000, the Census 2010, and the American Community Survey, which occurs between decennial censuses. Each of these data sets provides information at varying levels of detail; data used here is the newest available at the level of detail required.

County Description and Demographic Summary Mariposa County is located in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and is bordered by Tuolumne County to the north, Madera County to the southeast, and Merced County to the west. It lies north of Fresno, east of Merced and southeast of Stockton. The county seat is located in Mariposa. The county is very rural with a dispersed population, and its eastern half is the central portion of Yosemite National Park. Mariposa County encompasses approximately 1,463 square miles in area. The county contains no incorporated cities; however three of its communities are recognized as census-designated places: Bootjack, Mariposa, and Yosemite Valley. Other unincorporated places include Coulterville, Hornitos, El Portal, Midpines, Yosemite Village, Wawona, and Catheys Valley.

Population Characteristics As of the 2010 Census, Mariposa County has a recorded population of 18,251. The county seat of Mariposa has a population of 2,173. This represents 12% of the county’s overall population, up from 8% in Census year 2000. This illustrates that much of the population is not concentrated in towns but is dispersed throughout the county. A population comparison between the state of California, Mariposa County and the county seat of Mariposa is shown in Figure 2-1. As of the 2000 Census, about 17% of Mariposa County residents were seniors (over the age of 65), which is higher than the statewide average of 11%. The percentage of residents with a disability is also higher than the statewide average (22% vs. 19%). Fifteen percent of the county population lives below the federal poverty level, only slightly above the statewide average. Figure 2-1 Basic Population Characteristics (2000 and 2010)

Percent Total Percent of Percent Percent with Below Area Population County Population Age 65+* Disability* Poverty Level* California 33,871,648 11% 19% 14% Mariposa County 18,251 17% 22% 15% Mariposa 2,173 12% 27% 26% 24% Source: 2010 Census, * 2000 Census The proportion of seniors, persons with a disability and persons living below the federal poverty line are all much higher in the county seat of Mariposa than in the county or the state as a whole.

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The definition of “disability” varies. For this project, information cited is consistent with definitions reported in the 2000 Census. It included two questions with a total of six subparts with which to identify people with disabilities.1 It should be noted that this definition differs from that used to determine eligibility for paratransit services required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To qualify for ADA paratransit services, an individual’s disability must prevent them from independently using fixed-route transit service, even if the vehicle itself is accessible to persons with disabilities (i.e., lift or ramp equipped). The Census Bureau has determined that the 2000 Census overstated the number of people with disabilities. This overstatement occurred because of a confusing instruction in the Census questionnaire. In particular, the number of people with a “go outside the home disability” was substantially overstated as a result of a confusing skip pattern in the mail-back version of the Census long form.2 The Census’s 2006 American Community Survey incorporated an improved questionnaire that eliminated the source of the overstatement. For California as a whole, the 2000 Census estimated that 19.2% of non-institutionalized people age five and older had a disability. The corrected estimate, based on the 2005 American Community survey, was 12.9%. Corrected results are not yet available for many rural counties. Therefore, disability tables in this section still use the 2000 Census disability data.

Population Growth The county population increased by 6.5% from 2000 to 2010, rising from 17,130 residents to 18,251 residents, according to the US Census Annual Population Estimates and the Census 2010 data. Figure 2-2 shows the population growth in Mariposa County between 2000 and 2010 (data for 2009 was not available).

1 These questions were: 18. Does this person have a physical, mental, or other health condition that has lasted for 6 or more months and which (a) limits the kind or amount of work this person can do at a job? (b) prevents this person from working at a job? 19. Because of a health condition that has lasted for 6 or more months, does this person have any difficulty—(a) going outside the home alone, for example, to shop or visit a doctor’s office? (b) taking care of his or her own personal needs, such as bathing, dressing, or getting around inside the home? 2 Sharon Stern and Matthew Brault , “Disability Data from the American Community Survey: A Brief Examination of the Effects of a Question Redesign in 2003,” Feb. 2005. At www.census.gov/hhes/www/disability/ACS_disability.pdf.

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Figure 2-2 Population Growth for Mariposa County 2000-2010

18,400 *18,251 18,200 17,976 18,000

17,800

17,600

17,400 17,130

Population 17,200

17,000

16,800

16,600

16,400 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2010 Year

Source: 2010 Census Annual Population Estimates, and *Actual 2010 Population Count

Projected Future Growth The population of Mariposa County is expected to grow steadily through 2030. As in many other parts of the country, the senior population in the county is growing at an even faster rate than the population as a whole. In 2000, less than one in five Mariposa County residents was over 65 years of age; by 2030 this proportion is expected to increase to one in three. Figure 2-3 below depicts the projected growth for Mariposa County as a whole and for its senior population. Figure 2-3 Projected Growth for Mariposa County

% Change % Change % Change 2000 2010 2000-2010 2020 2010-2020 2030 2020-2030

Mariposa 17,130 19,108 12% 21,743 14% 23,981 10% County

Population Over 2,915 4,178 43% 6,052 45% 8,030 33% 65

Source: California Department of Finance

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Income Status The median household income in Mariposa County in 2009 was $47,808, which is 21% lower than the median household income for California as a whole ($60,392). The median household income for the county seat of Mariposa, $41,410, is 13% lower than that for Mariposa County as a whole. The percentage of residents living below the federal poverty line was slightly lower for Mariposa County than for California as a whole (10% vs. 13%); however, the proportion of residents in the county seat of Mariposa living below the federal poverty line is somewhat higher, at 16% of residents. Figure 2-4 compares the income status of residents from the State of California, Mariposa County and the county seat of Mariposa. Figure 2-4 Income Status for Mariposa County (2009)

Median Household % of Individuals Area Income * Below Poverty Level

California $60,392 13%

Mariposa County $47,808 10%

Mariposa $41,410 16%

* In 2009 inflation-adjusted dollars Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2005-2009 American Community Survey

Another indicator of income is the percentage of students enrolled in a free or reduced price lunch program. For Mariposa County, 74% of the students at Coulterville-Greeley Elementary, 71% at Mariposa Elementary and 51% at Catheys Valley Elementary School are enrolled in this program. The data substantiate the clusters of low-income families in the county, and especially in certain communities.3

Employment According to the California Employment Development Department4, the unemployment rate in Mariposa County as of January 2011 was 15%, compared to California’s rate of just under 13%, and the national rate of 9.8%. In 2011, Mariposa County’s civilian labor force was estimated at 9,090 individuals, approximately one-half of the county population. Figure 2-5 below lists the five largest employers in Mariposa County. Most employers in the county employ fewer than 100 people. The major employers consist of recreation, government, hotel and medical entities. Yosemite National Park attracts many tourists throughout the year to Mariposa County. Therefore, many employers are either located within the park itself or are related to the park in some way.

3 National Department of Education data from www.localschooldirectory.com, accessed March 22, 2011 4 http://www.calmis.ca.gov/file/lfmonth/marippds.pdf , accessed March 22, 2011

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Figure 2-5 Largest Employers in Mariposa County

Company Category Location

DNC Parks & Resorts – Yosemite Recreation Yosemite National Park

Forestry & Fire Protection Government Mariposa

Tenaya Lodge Hotels Fish Camp

Ahwahnee Hotel Hotels Yosemite National Park

John C Fremont Hospital Medical Mariposa

Source: California Employment Development Department

Access to a Vehicle According to the 2000 Census, 6% of households in Mariposa County do not have access to a vehicle, lower than the statewide average of 9%. This is typical of rural areas. However, in the slightly more dense county seat of Mariposa, 14% of households do not have access to a vehicle. A significantly greater number of households where the head of household is over 65 years of age do not have access to a vehicle in both Mariposa County as a whole and in the county seat. Figure 2-6 summarizes the percent of households with no vehicle available for both the overall population and the population where the head of household is over 65. Figure 2-6 Households with No Vehicle Available

All Head of Household Area Households Over 65

California 9% 12%

Mariposa County 6% 9%

Mariposa 14% 22%

Source: 2000 Census

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Population/Employment Density Figure 2-7, a Population/Employment Matrix, was created to present existing demographic components of the county. The Population/Employment Matrix presents concentrations of population and employment at the Census block-group level.5 Figure 2-7 shows the county with areas colored according to the matrix. Both the population and employment densities of Mariposa County are relatively low. Nowhere in the county has a population density greater than 118 persons per square mile or an employment density greater than 36 jobs per square mile. However, the area around the county seat of Mariposa has higher population and employment densities than outer parts of the county. The area north of Mariposa, between Midpines, El Portal and Wawona has a slightly higher employment density but a very low population density. This is probably because several hotels are located in the area, servicing visitors to Yosemite National Park, but no significant residential clusters are located in this area. In addition, a developing area in the far west side of the county, east of Lake McClure and southwest of Don Pedro Reservoir has a slightly higher population density, but very little employment.

5 The matrix is based on 2000 Census data for population and 2000 CTPP (Census Transportation Planning Package) data for employment numbers. In order to generate the matrix, density of population and employment were calculated for each block-group. Then the population and employment density values were categorized into three classes each, both using the quantile method which places an equal number of values into each class. This identified a 1, 2 or 3 value (lowest, middle, and highest) for each. Once combined, the Population/Employment Matrix contains nine values, from a low population - low employment density (1,1 = 1) to a high population - high employment density (3,3 = 9).

Resultant Matrix Values

7 8 9

4 5 6

1 2 3 Population, values 1 - 3

Employment, values 1-3

Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc. • Page 2-6 Figure 2-7 Mariposa County 2000 Population / Employment Density

Mather M O N O Don PderMARIPOSAo Reservoir Groveland COUNTY T U O LUMNE 120 120

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK 49

Yosemite Village Don Pedro Reservoir 140 2000 Pop. / Emp. Coulterville Density Matrix 132 (by Census Block Group) El Portal 118

140 41 Lake M A R IPOSA

Mcclure persons per sq mile

P o p u l a t i n Density 4

Rd 0.1 36 ley Midpines al Wawona V 49 r a Employment Density e B jobs per sq mile Hornitos

Mariposa 140 Midpines 140 49 Catheys Valley 41 Burns Reservoir Bear Reservoir Ahwahnee

49 140

d R

Owens H Oakhurst M E RCE D n Reservoir e 140 B Mariposa F R ESN O A

l Reservoir l Mariposa r Planada e M A D E R A d

41 R 140 d Coarsegold Lakeshore Le Grand Eastman Lake Raymond

0 0.5 1 wy 0 5 10 ld H 49 Miles Miles O

GIS Data Source: ESRI, Census 2000 Short Range Transit Plan - Mariposa County Transit • FINAL

MARIPOSA COUNTY LOCAL TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

Transit Dependency A Transit Dependency Index was created to present existing demographic components and transportation needs of the county. The Transit Dependency Index presents concentrations of populations that typically have greater public transportation needs: seniors 65 year or older, people with disabilities, and low-income (150% of poverty level) population. The index value is based on 2000 Census data. To generate the index values, density of seniors, people with disabilities and low-income population were calculated individually for each block group. Then the density values were categorized into five groups, from one to five, using the quantile method. The Transit Dependency Index value equals the sum of the three category values, resulting in a number between three and 15. Block groups with higher index values have greater concentrations of seniors, people with disabilities and/or low-income population. This analysis is somewhat limited by the small number of block-groups in Mariposa County. Figure 2-8 displays a map of the county with areas colored according to the Transit Dependency Index. The transit dependency in Mariposa County is highest in the area surrounding the county seat of Mariposa, with slightly lower transit dependency to the southeast and northwest of Mariposa, and very low transportation dependency in other areas of the county. Areas with high transit dependency are areas with higher concentrations of seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income persons. The percentage of the population falling into these categories is much higher in the county seat of Mariposa than in the county as a whole.

Projected Demand for Public Transportation Because Mariposa County has no formal models that would predict demand for public transportation services, population projections provide the best available evidence. For purposes of this plan, the projected growth of the total population in Mariposa County is used as a low-end projection for transit demand, and the projected growth of the population over the age of 65 is used as a high-end projection for transit demand. Based on the California Department of Finance figures shown in Figure 2-3, a low-end projection for transit demand is that it will grow by 14% between 2010 and 2020 and by 26% between 2010 and 2030. A high-end projection is that transit demand will grow by 45% between 2010 and 2020 and nearly double — growing by 92% — between 2010 and 2030.

Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc. • Page 2-8 Figure 2-8 Mariposa County 2000 Transit Dependency Index

Mather MONO Don PderoMARIPOSA Reservoir Groveland TUO LUMNE COUNTY 120 120

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK 49 Transit Dependency Index* Yosemite Village (by Census Block Group) Don Pedro Reservoir 140 Lowest in Coulterville County 132 El Portal

140

41 Highest Lake in County Mcclure MAR IPOSA *Transit dependency demographic

Rd index is based on combined densities ley Midpines al Wawona V 49 r of low-income households, persons a e B with disabiliites and seniors aged 65+ Hornitos

Mariposa 140 Midpines 140 49 Catheys Valley 41 Burns Reservoir Bear Reservoir Ahwahnee

49 140

d R

Owens H Oakhurst ME RCED n Reservoir e 140 B Mariposa FR ESNO A

l Reservoir l Mariposa r Planada e MADERA d

41 R 140 d Coarsegold Lakeshore Le Grand Eastman Lake Raymond

0 0.5 1 wy 0 5 10 ld H 49 Miles Miles O

GIS Data Source: ESRI, Census 2000 Short Range Transit Plan - Mariposa County Transit • F INAL

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New and Future Development Projects Recently, two new facilities have been constructed which serve residents that are likely to use transit services. Mariposa County Human Services is approaching completion of a new 37,000 square foot building consolidating all human services departments and employees under one roof. This building is located approximately 1.5 miles from the center of downtown Mariposa. The building has been designed so that transit vehicles can drop riders at the front door. The Fremont Medical Clinic has recently opened in Greeley Hill. Until recently, this location was served by Mari-Go, which provided service between Greeley Hill and Coulterville on the way to the Sonora Adult Day Health Care facility; however, this service has recently been discontinued. There are also two new facilities planned for the distant future. Fremont Hospital Expansion Fremont Hospital is located in Mariposa, approximately a mile from the downtown area. Fremont Hospital is mandated by law to build an earthquake-reinforced facility by the year 2030. The hospital is engaged in a needs assessment process at this time; there are no planning documents available, They expect that the hospital will expand in both the kinds of services offered, the number of beds available (currently 34), and the number of long-term care beds available. The hospital is currently within the Mariposa Transit service area. It is expected that the new facility would be on the same site as the current one; administrators do not anticipate any construction for at least another decade.6 The current hospital site is within the Mari-Go service area.

Silver Tip Village Resort Mariposa County Planning has approved a residential, commercial and hotel project for the Fish Camp area called SilverTip Village Resort. The permit for Silver Tip includes 30 2-story cabins, four small conference centers, and housing for 20 employees as well as 137 guest rooms and retail and commercial uses. The project has not yet broken ground, and there is no set date for it to begin construction. Fish Camp is outside the current transit service area; however, the permit includes transportation-related requirements listed below: 48. The final site plan shall depict an area within the project site for a bus stop to be used by regional transit buses at such time transit service is extended to the Fish Camp area. In addition, the permit also requires that: 49. Prior to the use or occupancy of any building, secure bicycle facilities shall be installed on the project site in conformance with the approved site plan.

6 Interview, Kim Brownell, Administration for Fremont Hospital, 3/22/2011

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Chapter 3. Existing Transit Services

Introduction This chapter reviews existing public transit services operating in Mariposa County as well as social service transportation services and private transportation operators. A map illustrating existing transportation services is presented in Figure 3-7 on page 3-11.

Public Transit Operators

Mariposa County Transit Mariposa County Transit provides two transit services. Mari-Go is a general public dial-a-ride service in Mariposa County, connecting to Sonora in Tuolumne County and Merced in Merced County. Medi-Trans provides medical transportation to seniors and veterans. Both services are described in detail below. Mariposa County Transit is housed in the same location as the Mariposa Senior Center, and is staffed by a director and an office assistant, both of whom serve as dispatchers. The agency employs one full-time driver, two medical service drivers, and one relief driver who drives for either service as needed.

Mari-Go Mari-Go is a curb-to-curb dial-a-ride service which goes to designated areas on specific days. Riders must call in advance to arrange for a ride. Mari-Go operates two buses: a South County bus and a North County bus. The South County bus provides service to the communities between Midpines and the Mariposa/Merced County line, primarily along Highway 140 and Highway 49. During the middle of the day between the early and late trips, dial-a-ride service is provided within the town of Mariposa between 10:30 AM and 1:00 PM daily; on Thursday, it is available in Mariposa from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM. On Tuesday, the North County bus provides general public service from Coulterville via Greeley Hill to Sonora. (Until recently, this bus also provided transportation from Greeley Hill through Coulterville to the Sonora Adult Day Health Center three days a week, however, this facility recently closed its doors, and bus service was canceled.) Transportation between Mariposa and the Coulterville/Greeley Hill area is provided if arrangements are made in advance. Figure 3-1 summarizes the service options available by area and day of the week.

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Figure 3-1 Summary of Mariposa County Transit Services

Day Route Span of Service Fare

South County Bus Monday 49 North / Hornitos / 140 Pick-up in the morning, return $2.00 for 2 miles or less Catheys Valley starting at 1:00 PM

Tuesday Mariposa to Merced Pick-up in Mariposa starting at 8:15 $4 one way from Mariposa to AM, return from Merced starting at Merced, $4 one way from Catheys 2:00 PM Valley to Merced

Wednesday 49 South / Bootjack / Pick-up in the morning, return $2.00 for 2 miles or less Ponderosa Basin starting at 1:00 PM

Thursday Within Mariposa - 2 mile 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM $2 one way radius of transit office $1.00 for seniors $1.00 round trip to Senior Center lunch

Friday Highway 140 E / Midpines Pick-up in the morning, return $2.00 for 2 miles or less starting at 1:00 PM

North County Bus Tuesday Coulterville / Sonora Leaves Coulterville at 9:00 AM $4 one way

Thursday Mariposa / Coulterville / Service available upon request $4 one way Greeley Hill

As shown in the figure above, fares on Mari-Go vary by area and distance. On North County routes, all trips are $4 each way. In the South county area, within Mariposa, all rides are $2 each way, with discounts for seniors. All other routes vary from between $2 and $4, depending on the distance. Fares were raised as of July 1, 2010 for the first time in many years. According to Mari- Go staff, there was no drop in ridership due to this fare increase.

Medi-Trans Mariposa County Transit also operates Medi-Trans, a medical curb-to-curb dial-a-ride service for seniors (60 or over) and veterans. The hours of service vary depending on the need, and is available Monday through Friday, with no service on holidays. Medi-Trans travels from locations in Mariposa County to medical offices in Mariposa, Merced, and Fresno. It is available only for medical trips such as doctor or dental appointments, trips to the pharmacy, or to/from therapy. The rider has to be able to get to the vehicle, then the driver assists the passenger in and out of the vehicle. The service is intended for seniors and veterans, however, there is no pre-screening or pre- registration of riders; they simply call and make a reservation for a ride. Caregivers can accompany the passenger at no additional charge. Non-seniors are also served, if they are going

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to roughly the same place at the same time as a senior, and there would be no additional expense to Medi-Trans. The service is funded through the VA Hospital, donations, and TDA funds. Round-trip fares are $5 within Mariposa and $10 for outlying areas into Mariposa. The fare is $15 for a round trip to Fresno or Merced. Trips are assumed to be round-trip, although the return trip may be on a different day. Dispatch is managed out of the Senior Center as a joint operation with the general public dial-a- ride. Because of the limited hours of operation, passengers are encouraged to coordinate scheduling a medical appointment with Medi-Trans to ensure service will be available at their desired time slot. Many local physicians regularly reschedule appointments based on when Medi- Trans will be operating. Both physicians and their patients who are regular riders have become accustomed to the flexible scheduling required to use Medi-Trans for medical appointments.

Fleet and Fleet Management Figure 3-2 provides a summary of Mariposa Transit’s fleet. All vehicles are housed at the transit agency’s offices on Spriggs Lane in Mariposa, and are maintained by the Fleet Department of Public Works. All buses and minivans are wheelchair accessible. Buses have lifts; minivans are ADA accessible with a manual ramp. Figure 3-2 Mariposa Transit Fleet Current Expected Additional Year / ID Make/Model Capacity Mileage Life Span 2001 / VT16 Chevrolet Venture 5 151,129 Being replaced 2003 / VT 22 Chevrolet Venture 5 88,414 Being replaced 2006 / VT 24 Ford E-350 Transporter 16 38,865 5 years 2008 / VT 25 Ford Starcraft Bus 14 31,365 6 years 2011 / VT 26 Ford Starcraft Bus 14 4,096 8 years 2011 / VT 27 Ford Starcraft Bus 14 3,656 8 years

Funding Mariposa County Transit is supported by funds from several sources. The County is allocated $400,000 in Transportation Development Act (TDA) funds (specifically, LTF). Of this amount, $136,360 is contributed to YARTS and the remaining $236,640 is used for local transit service. Mariposa County Transit also receives funding from the Federal Transit Administration 5311 program and State Transit Assistance (STA) funds. These funds can be used for both operations and capital purchases. In recent years, 5311 funds have been used to support day-to-day operations. Additional funds are supplied by the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) and the Central Valley Regional Center. AAA has provided funding for transportation service for seniors, including the recently cancelled service to the ADHC center in Sonora.

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Mariposa County Transit Performance Summary In FY 2010, Mariposa County Transit provided just over 7,200 trips. Since FY 2006, ridership on the Mari-Go system has been declining steadily; this decline is reflected in a drop in productivity (passengers per service hour). Passenger fare revenues declined sharply in the last two years, although this likely will be offset by the fare increase in July 2010. Staff has indicated that the fare increase did not cause a decline in ridership. Mari-Go’s farebox recovery ratio has dropped from just over 17% (FY 2006) to approximately 8% in FY 2010. At present, Mari-Go is not meeting its required 10% farebox recovery ratio. The cost per hour for Mari-Go service is just under $50 which is within the industry standard (about average) for a rural service transit system. Figure 3-3 Financial and Operating Performance (FYs 2006 through 2010)

FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010

Operating Cost $207,776 $261,802 $248,021 $250,033 $265,095

Total Passengers 8,374 8,225 7,823 7,084 7,203

Vehicle Service Hours 4,986 5,034 5,779 5,200 5,400

Vehicle Service Miles 89,428 96,371 99,783 94,000 95,000

Passenger Fares $35,817 $36,619 $35,636 $24,825 $22,183

Performance Indicators Cost /Passenger $24.81 $31.83 $31.70 $35.30 $36.80

Cost/Service Hour $41.67 $52.01 $42.92 $48.08 $49.09

Passengers /Service Hour 1.68 1.63 1.35 1.36 1.33

Fare Recovery Ratio 17.2% 14.0% 14.4% 9.9% 8.4%

Subsidy per Passenger $20.53 $27.38 $27.15 $31.79 $33.72

Notes: Sources: State Controller Operator's Reports, Annual Financial Audits, Administrative Operations Reports FYs 2009 and 2010 the service hours and miles have been estimated based on trends from the prior years.

Other Transportation Services in Mariposa County This section briefly describes transportation services provided in Mariposa County by other public transit agencies, social service agencies, and private companies.

Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) The Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) began running regional transit buses in May of 2000, serving communities in the counties of Mariposa, Merced and Mono. YARTS provides service to activity centers in Yosemite National Park and connects with Yosemite

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shuttles including the free Valley Shuttle. Service levels vary to meet seasonal demand, as well as different scheduling needs required for different days of the week. YARTS has two core routes. The first runs along Highway 120 through Yosemite National Park and into Mammoth Lakes in Mono County. The second route is the one that serves Mariposa County’s communities, running along Highway 140 from Yosemite National Park, through El Portal, Midpines, Mariposa and Catheys Valley to Merced. The two routes share a common stop at the Yosemite Visitor Center. Once riders are in the park, they can connect with several shuttles which operate free of charge within Yosemite Valley, allowing for connections to other parts of Yosemite National Park. Figure 3-4 summarizes the two routes. Figure 3-4 Summary of YARTS Service

Daily Inbound Daily Outbound Runs to Runs from Route Yosemite Yosemite Span of Service

Highway 140 – Merced*, Catheys Valley, 6** 6 runs during winter, 5:50 AM -11:00 PM*** Mariposa, Midpines, El Portal, Yosemite 7 runs during Visitor Center summer**

Highway 120 – Mammoth Lakes, June 1 1 Inbound: 7:00 AM-10:55 Lake, Lee Vining, Tuolumne Meadows, AM, Outbound: 5:00 PM- Yosemite Visitor Center 8:50 PM

* Not all runs go to Merced and some locations are only served on demand. ** Earliest run only operates Monday-Friday. ***Weekend service spans from 6:30 AM-11:00 PM. YARTS fares vary based on distance; all fares to the park include the entrance fee to Yosemite. Round trip fares for the Highway 140 route range from $1.00 to $25.00.1 YARTS provides services to college students attending at one of the two colleges in Merced, shoppers and medical appointments in Merced, and locals travelling between towns. The $1 fare between Midpines and Mariposa is designed for these local riders. Figure 3-5 summarizes the round-trip cash fares for the Highway 140 Route, with fares for children 12 and under, seniors, and people with disabilities indicated in parenthesis. With each paid adult ticket, one child rides free.

1 One-way tickets cost one-half of the round-trip fare, rounded up to the nearest dollar.

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Figure 3-5 YARTS Fares for Highway 140 Route

Merced Catheys Valley Mariposa Midpines El Portal Yosemite

Merced - ($4) $6 ($8) $12 ($8) $12 ($13) $18 ($18) $25

Catheys Valley ($4) $6 - ($4) $6 ($4) $6 ($8) $12 ($13) $18

Mariposa ($8) $12 ($4) $6 - ($1) $1 ($4) $6 ($8) $12

Midpines ($8) $12 ($4) $6 ($1) $1 - ($4) $6 ($8) $12

El Portal ($13) $18 ($8) $12 ($4) $6 ($4) $6 - ($5) $7

Yosemite ($18) $25 ($13) $18 ($8) $12 ($8) $12 ($5) $7 -

Fares on the Highway 120 route range from $5 roundtrip between Lee Vining and Tuolumne Meadows and $30 roundtrip between Yosemite Valley and Mammoth Lakes. The same rules apply for one way, children and senior tickets as on the Highway 140 route. YARTS has also established a voucher arrangement with DHS and with the Salvation Army in Mariposa County. Approximately half of the ridership on Route 140 is made up of residents of the Yosemite Region. A survey conducted in 2010 by YARTS2 indicated that over 70% of these resident riders are commuting to work, both in the park and in surrounding communities. Commuter passes are available for the Highway 140 route and are good for either a calendar month or for 20 rides over 90 days. The figure below shows the price of the pass, indicating a savings of 50% or more over the regular fare.

2 YARTS Short Range Transit Plan, Volume III, January 2011

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Figure 3-6 YARTS Commuter Pass Fares (Highway 140 Route)

Merced Catheys Valley Mariposa Midpines El Portal Yosemite

Merced - $47 $94 $120 $173 $220

Catheys Valley $47 - $47 $74 $128 $173

Mariposa $94 $47 - $26 $80 $100

Midpines $120 $74 $26 - $53 $100

El Portal $173 $128 $80 $53 - $47

Yosemite $220 $173 $100 $100 $47 -

YARTS is funded through federal, state, and local funds. The YARTS fleet consists of over-the- road coaches, supplemented by five 2007 Glaval 26-passenger transit buses, all of which are lift equipped.

209-966-RIDE: Single Phone Number for Transit Information The public transit information line was established by the Mariposa County Department of Public Works in response to unmet needs findings in Mariposa County. The automated message on the transit information line allows callers to press a button to have their call transferred to a particular transportation provider. The following providers are included on the line: Mariposa Public Transit, YARTS, Medical Transportation (Medi-Trans), Airport Shuttle (Juniper Crest Airport Shuttle), and Amtrak.

Connecting Transit/Transportation Services Merced County Transit (The Bus) The Bus offers 16 regular fixed routes and five special deviated or dial-a-ride services throughout Merced County. The Bus can most easily be accessed from Mariposa County by taking the YARTS bus to Merced. Service generally operates from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM Monday through Friday and from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM on Saturday. Transfers between YARTS and The Bus can be made at most of YARTS scheduled stops, including at Merced Transit Center (“Transpo”) on 16th and O Streets. Because Merced Transit is a different system, a separate fare is paid when transferring.

Tuolumne County Transit Mari-Go currently takes the general public to Sonora only on Tuesdays, where passengers can make a connection to Tuolumne County Transit. The regular fixed-route fare is $1.50; a 50 cent

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discount is offered to Medicare/ADA certified riders. Children under 12 years of age are free when accompanied by a fare paying companion 12 years of age and over. Day and monthly passes are also available.

Greyhound Merced is served by Greyhound bus at its downtown station. Mariposa County residents can ride YARTS to Merced and transfer to Greyhound. The bus departs Merced for Stockton and Sacramento five times per day, at 12:10 AM, 3:30 AM, 9:05 AM, 2:10 PM, and 5:05 PM. Southbound trips toward Fresno depart at 5:45 AM, 11:15 AM, 2:10 PM, 6:35 PM, 9:25 PM, 9:40 PM and 11:25 PM.

Amtrak Amtrak service on the San Joaquin lines is available from the Merced station or via the YARTS bus that operates as an Amtrak Thruway bus in this corridor. The San Joaquin routes run between the Bay Area or Sacramento and Bakersfield. The Merced Amtrak Station is located at 324 W. 24th Street in Merced. A combined bus-rail fare for Amtrak service from Mariposa to Fresno is about $22.00, with a connection to the train made in Merced.

Taxis Sierra Taxi and Limousine provides taxi service throughout Mariposa County and beyond the county line as needed. The small family-run business has limited capacity, but has expressed interest in providing additional service if taxi subsidies can be provided.

Social Service Transportation Providers Transportation is provided by a range of social service agencies serving clients or the general public in Mariposa County. While some agencies provide transportation directly, others arrange for it on behalf of their clients by contracting with other agencies or providers, or subsidizing transit fares. Most of the agencies listed below have a particular focus on the needs of older adults, people with disabilities, or low-income individuals; however, some agencies may serve a broader group.

Area 12 Agency on Aging The Area 12 Agency on Aging is a Joint Powers Agreement between Mariposa, Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne and Alpine counties that provides funding to community senior services providers and administers several direct service programs. Area 12 subsidizes transportation for older adults through the provision of gas vouchers funded through Title III B of the Older Americans Act (OAA) and vouchers through the Multi-purpose Senior Services Program (for medical transportation). A discontinuation of federal funding and a decrease in state funding has had an impact on the transportation services that they facilitate.

Mariposa County Department of Human Services (Social Services) Human Services encompasses both Social Services and Behavioral Health. Within Social Services are Child Protective Services (CPS), Adult Services and Eligibility. Social Services vehicles are mostly automobiles for use by social workers and others on staff, but clients are

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occasionally transported using one of these vehicles. DHS has roughly 14 to 15 vehicles which they use to transport clients. CPS has six vehicles to transport children in protective services, consisting of one Safari van, one Chevrolet Impala, one Chevy Blazer, two Jeep Liberty SUVs, and one Jeep Moreno. Children in CPS include foster children and detained children, many of whom are low income. Any of the 14 CPS staff members are qualified to drive the van. Children are transported as needed, but typically there is at least one trip per day.

Mariposa County Unified School District Mariposa County Unified School District provides bus service to K-12 students living within the district. As much as 50% of students in the district ride the bus to school, and very few walk. Typically the students are transported to schools within the district, but four students are transported to schools in Merced and Madera counties. The district has 37 standard yellow school buses, which transport students along 18 regular routes and six special needs routes. The buses typically operate weekdays between 6:00 and 8:00 AM for the trip to school and from 2:00 to 5:00 PM for the return trip. The buses travel approximately 33,000 miles per month or 400,000 miles per year. The Mariposa County Unified School District provides funding for the vehicles and employs four full-time drivers and eight part-time drivers.

Mariposa Head Start Mariposa Head Start is a nonprofit organization that provides pre-school services to low-income children age five and younger to prepare them for kindergarten. Mariposa Head Start provides transportation to the school using a van (with car seats built in) that has room for 14 children plus one parent. The van follows a route based on a subscription service and picks up students at established stops within Mariposa County. The transportation program is supported by federal funds through the Head Start program. The van transports students to the Head Start program from August through April. During the summer months the van is used for the migrant Head Start program in Madera County.

Mariposa Indian Health Clinic The Mariposa Indian Health Clinic is a nonprofit organization with a goal of ensuring that Native American elders receive health care services. The clinic provides transportation services for Native American elders primarily for medical appointments, but occasionally for other purposes, on a demand-response basis. Most trips are within Mariposa County, but at times trips are provided to neighboring counties for specific types of medical appointments. Service is provided using two vehicles: a wheelchair accessible Chevrolet van with room for ten passengers, and a Ford Bronco with room for five passengers. Transportation is funded through the Mariposa, Amador, Calaveras and Tuolumne Counties Health Board, Inc. The clinic employs two drivers.

Mercy Medical Transport Mercy Medical Transport serves the emergency transportation needs of Mariposa County, using five ambulances that provide both basic life support and advanced life support functions. Anyone is eligible for the service including both Medi-Cal patients and people who pay out-of-pocket or have private insurance. Mercy Medical Transport is funded through client fees, which are sometimes covered by insurance and sometimes paid directly by the client, and through a subsidy from Mariposa County. Patients are primarily picked up in Mariposa County, including Yosemite

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National Park, and are usually taken to John C. Fremont Hospital in Mariposa, although some patients are taken to hospitals in other areas including Fresno and Modesto, and sometimes as far as San Francisco. Mercy Medical Transport has a total of 15 paramedics who take turns driving the ambulances.

Mountain Crisis Services Mountain Crisis Services is a nonprofit organization that provides shelter and support services to domestic violence victims and their dependents. The center has a seven-passenger Chrysler Town and Country van, and one Honda Fit that are used to meet the various transportation needs of the victims, such as transport to the shelter after an incident, to and from court, transfer to another county for safe housing, medical trips, or mediation services out of the county. Due to the loss of a large state funding source, they have had to reduce the number of trips they can provide to clients, and suggest alternative modes such as walking, although this leaves some clients with no transportation.

Thumbs Up! Thumbs Up! is a community integration program for individuals with developmental disabilities in Tuolumne and Mariposa counties. The organization’s goal is to help its clients live as independently as possible. The Central Valley Regional Center provides funding for Thumbs Up! to transport its clients (those who are unable to use public transportation on their own) between their homes and the Thumbs Up! program.3 Thumbs Up! also transports program participants to activities and outings in and outside of the county. Their vehicle fleet includes one 16-passenger van and two six-passenger vans. Two drivers transport clients between their homes and the program in the morning and the evening, and program instructors drive the vehicles during the day.

3 In addition to holding a contract with Central Valley Regional Center, Thumbs Up! holds a contract with the Valley Mountain Regional Center to provide similar transportation services for persons with developmental disabilities in Tuolumne County.

Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc • Page 3-10 Figure 3-7 Mariposa County Transit Services and Major Activity Centers

Cherry Sonora Lake Mari-Go: Mariposa County Transit (DAR door to door service and designated routes) Tuolumne Lee Vining Jamestown Sonora Adult Day Hetch Hetchy Hornitos/Cathey’s Valley - MONDAY Reservoir Health Care Merced - TUESDAY TUO LUMNE 49 South - WEDNESDAY MONO Mather Midpines - FRIDAY120 Coulterville/Greeley Hill - Sonora Adult Day Groveland Health Care - MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAYJune Lake 120 Coulterville/Greeley Hill - Sonora - TUESDAY Moccasin 120 Bear Valley DNC Parks & YARTS: Yosemite Area Regional 49 Sierra Resorts - Transportation System Country Yosemite Hwy 120 Route Home Fremont Medical Yosemite Village Hwy 140 Route Don Pedro Clinic, Northside Reservoir Coulterville Greeley 140 Activity Centers Hill 132 Yosemite YOSEMITE Medical View Lodge El Portal NATIONAL Shopping MAR IPOSA Ahwahnee Hotel PARK Social Service Yosemite Institute 140 Senior Center Lake McClure Senior Housing 41 Major Employer Bear Valley Rd ley Jerseydale al 49 V r a Midpines e Mariposa Pines Villa Snelling B Wawona Darrah Hornitos Fish John C Fremont Mariposa Ponderosa Senior Center SEE INSET Camp Hospital Bootjack Basin Mariposa Mormon Transit Office ME RCED 140 Bar Tavis Elliott 140 Corp Corner 49 Catheys Bridgeport 41 Mariposa County Burns Bear Valley 49 Human Services Reservoir Reservoir MADERA (Open 2011)

Ahwahnee

Oakhurst

Owens n

e Community 49er Market Merced Reservoir B Medical Center Mariposa County Mariposa Social Welfare 140 Planada Reservoir FR ESNO Lakeshore Coarsegold Pioneer Market Manna House Le Grand Library Eastman Lake Raymond MARIPOSA COUNTY

0 5 10 49 Miles

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Chapter 4. Public Outreach In order to gain a better understanding of the transportation needs of Mariposa County residents, the consultant facilitated two public workshops, conducted stakeholder interviews with a cross section of people representing various agencies, and conducted an onboard survey of Mari- Go and Medi-Trans riders. The survey results and surveys conducted for recently completed planning studies are discussed in this chapter. This chapter also describes the outreach activities conducted for the Mariposa SRTP and resultant findings.

Surveys For this SRTP, passenger surveys were conducted during the last two weeks in March of 2011. Where appropriate, the results of this survey are compared to passenger surveys conducted for the Marketing Plan in 2008.

Mari-Go Onboard Survey, March 2011 In collaboration with Mariposa Transit, the study team developed two surveys, one for Medi-Trans riders and one for Mari-Go riders. These were distributed to all riders between Monday, February 28 and Friday, March 11, 2011. A total of 45 surveys were collected from each of the service area routes including Medi-Trans, as shown in Figure 4-1 below. Figure 4-1 Surveys Collected on Mari-Go and Medi-Trans, March 2011 MONDAY Hornitos/Cathey's Valley 3 TUESDAY Merced 6 WEDNESDAY 49 South 4 FRIDAY Midpines 3 MTWF Coulterville-Sonora * 6 DAILY Mariposa Local 11 M-F Medi-Trans 12 Total 45 * Service discontinued April 2011 This section provides a summary of findings. A copy of the surveys and the detailed findings for each question can be found in the Appendix.

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Who Answered the Survey? Half of all respondents were over 75 years of age, with 60% over age 65; eight of ten respondents were women. Three quarters of respondents reported annual household incomes of less than $25,000; 15% reported an income of less than $5,000 per year. Of the eight Medi-Trans riders who provided their household income, five had incomes under $10,000 a year.

Summary of Survey Results A total of 33 surveys were collected from Mari-Go passengers, and 12 additional surveys were collected on Medi-Trans. Almost 80% of respondents live in Mariposa, 12% live in Coulterville, and the rest in Midpines, Catheys Valley, or Hornitos. On the Mari-Go routes, one-third of the respondents were going to medical appointments, another third were going shopping, and the rest were going to work, or to lunch at the senior center. A little over half of the respondents were starting and ending their trips within Mariposa, with the rest distributed across other communities. The origins and destinations of riders was very similar to the findings from the 2008 survey, as shown below in Figure 4-2. Figure 4-2 Origins and Destinations, Mari-Go and Medi-Trans, 2008 and 2011

Survey, Survey, Origin & Destination 2011 2008 Within Mariposa 55% 68% Mariposa to Midpines 13% 16% Mariposa to Merced 3% 4% Hornitos to Mariposa 3% 4% Jerseydale to Mariposa 3% 4%

Of 45 respondents, 40 were making a round trip. Very few people (3) transferred to another bus during their trip. Of the three transferring to another system, one went to Tuolumne County Transit, and two transferred to YARTS. When asked how they would make the trip if the bus was not available, approximately half of the respondents would not take the trip if the bus were not available; another 33% would get a ride from someone else. This is significantly different from the data in the 2008 survey; a comparison is shown below. Figure 4-3 Transportation Options If this service were not available, how would you make this trip? 2011 2008 Would not go 48% 72% Get a ride 33% 19% Walk 3% 3%

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The survey asked riders to rank a number of factors, checking “Strongly agree” to “Strongly disagree” in response to a series of positive statements about the service. Riders of both Mari-Go and Medi-Trans rated the services very high in all categories. There was only one “Strongly disagree” rating, related to the bus schedule. Another interesting finding was that two thirds of riders did not know if the Mari-Go web site was helpful, indicating that passengers may not consult the site. An additional 40% did not have an opinion on the information in the brochure. These two findings reinforce statements from the Public Meetings that most people learn about the service through word-of-mouth. Figure 4-4 below shows the ratings for key service features. Figure 4-4 Mari-Go and Medi-Trans Service Ratings

Strongly Agree Agree Don't know Disagree Strongly disagree The driver was courteous and helpful.

The driver is skillful.

The bus is clean.

The bus is comfortable.

The fare is reasonable.

Arranging for a ride is easy.

The scheduled hours and days meet my needs. The printed brochure has the Don't know information I need. The web site has the information Don't know I need.

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

When asked to rate the service overall, 98% of riders gave a rating of Very Good” or “Excellent”. Riders were asked to rank the top three service improvements they would like to see on Mari-Go or Medi-Trans. Service to specific locations was highly ranked with the following listed as the top three desired destinations: • Oakhurst (6) • Atwater (2) • Fresno (2)

The second highest ranked improvement was Saturday service, and the third was Sunday service.

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Mariposa County Transit Marketing Plan Surveys Rider Surveys In 2010, Mariposa County Transit retained a consultant to develop a Marketing Plan for Mari-Go and Medi- Trans. As part of this effort, surveys were conducted on both Medi-Trans and Mari-Go service during March of 2010. In all, 29 surveys were collected on Mari-Go, and 23 surveys were collected on Medi-Trans. Findings from this survey are generally consistent with findings from the March 2011 survey, and indicate that: • The average rider/respondent on both systems is female, 65 years of age or older and does not have access to an automobile. Most riders/respondents have been using the service for more than two years, and would not have made the trip if the bus was not available. • The average household income for Mari-Go riders/respondents is below $15,000, while that for Medi-Trans riders/respondents is below $10,000. • About half of all riders/respondents have a disability, but most don’t need a wheelchair lift to complete their trip. • The majority of South County Mari-Go riders/respondents and Medi-Trans riders travel within Mariposa; the majority of North County Mari-Go riders/respondents travel from Greeley Hill to Sonora. About one-quarter of Medi-Trans riders/respondents travel to Fresno or Merced. • The average Mari-Go trip is taken weekly for shopping trips and medical appointments, while the average Medi-Trans trip is taken monthly. • Information regarding both services is most often obtained at the Senior Center. • Both Mari-Go and Medi-Trans riders are generally very happy with the current system’s performance, but would like more service. Most riders/respondents said they would be willing to pay more for the service. (This survey was administered prior to the July 2010 fare increase in late 2010).

Non-Rider Surveys A public on-line opinion survey was conducted for two weeks in March 2010 to develop a profile of the community’s attitudes towards Mari-Go Transit. The survey included questions about the overall awareness of the service and on transportation needs. The survey was publicized through emails to county employees, employees of local forestry and fire departments, and through links on county websites and published in the two local free papers. In all, 186 surveys were collected. Given this distribution method, low income households appear to be under-represented in this survey. The non-rider survey reached a very different demographic than the onboard surveys; all respondents were working age adults, with 22% between ages 52 and 44, and more than half

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between ages 45 and 59. Household incomes for this group were significantly higher, with 76% over $40,000. Only 7% of respondents had used Mari-Go, and only 16% had ridden YARTS within the previous year. However, 96% agreed that bus service is needed. When asked why they did not use the service, 23% said they thought it was only for seniors and the disabled; 35% cited lack of frequency and coverage; and 28% simply stated that they would rather drive their own cars.

YARTS Onboard Surveys During July 2010, YARTS conducted a survey of passengers onboard YARTS buses as part of their Short Range Transit Plan. This section summarizes the survey findings, particularly as it relates to transportation needs of local residents rather than visitors or recreational users. Surveys were differentiated between residents and visitors on each route. A total of 509 surveys were returned - 407 from Route 140 (Merced through Mariposa to Yosemite), and 102 from Route 120 (Mammoth Lakes, Lee Vining and Tuolumne Meadows to Yosemite). About three-quarters of respondents – 72% – were travelling to work, and nearly two-thirds were long-term riders, having ridden the YARTS service since 2008.1 Residents also use YARTS for shopping trips, medical appointments, or other non-commute reasons (17%). Riders were asked to rate the service on a number of factors. The lowest rating among both visitors and residents was on how well the schedule met their needs. This was also the factor most commented on in open-ended questions on how YARTS might improve service. Many visitors and employees commented on the need for earlier, later, or mid-day trips to support employees of the park – particularly those with regular but unusual schedules – and for early morning hikers. Another frequent comment was regarding the difficulty in making connections with other transportation services – particularly Greyhound, Amtrak, and airports. The most common concept discussed along the 120 East corridor was service between Groveland (Tuolumne County) and Yosemite, possibly with a connection to the existing summer 120 service at Crane Flat. (Groveland is within five miles of Mari-Go service between Coulterville and Sonora). Recommendations in the plan include an additional mid-day run between Yosemite and Mariposa. To summarize, improvements which respondents indicated were important to them were (in descending order) better on-time performance and reliability, more comfortable buses, better bus stops, and less crowding on the commuter buses.

Public Workshops & Meetings Two public workshops were held in Mariposa County on March 30 and 31, 2011 to gather input from riders and non- riders, as well as transit staff and social service agency representatives. To publicize the workshops, notices were placed in the Mariposa Gazette two weeks in advance. Flyers were distributed in Mariposa and Coulterville, and notices were emailed to individuals who had attended

1 As noted in Chapter 2, commuters are given a significant fare discount on YARTS.

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previous transportation-related meetings in Mariposa County. Additional notices (58) were sent to Mariposa County departments related to health, education, employment and transportation; clinics and hospitals; the National Park Service; state transportation agencies; and organizations related to Native American tribal administration. Copies of publicity materials for the workshops and the sign-in sheet are in the Appendix of this report. Details for the two meetings are shown in Figure 4-5 below. Figure 4-5 Mariposa SRTP Public Meetings Location Date Time Attendees Coulterville Community Center Wednesday March 30, 2011 1 PM to 3 PM 1 plus project team Broadway Road, Coulterville Mariposa Senior Center Thursday, March 31, 2011 10 AM to Noon 15 plus project team 5246 Spriggs Lane, Mariposa

Coulterville The only attendees at the Coulterville meeting were the project team, with the addition of Mariposa County Supervisor Lyle Turpin, and one Mari-Go driver. The meeting served as a valuable information-gathering session with county staff. Topics included: • Funding for transit in Mariposa County • Regional efforts at transportation cooperation • Constraints and opportunities for enhancing service • Potential stakeholder interviewees • New developments in Mariposa County needing transit service • Marketing Mari-Go and Medi-Trans • Need for transit service policies for Mari-Go

Mariposa Fifteen people attended the workshop at the Mariposa Senior Center. Groups represented include: • In-Home Supportive Services Advisory Committee, Office of Management & Budget • Mariposa County High School District • Mountain Crisis Services • YARTS

The workshop began with attendees introducing themselves. The consultant team presented an overview of the project. reviewed the findings from the March 2011 onboard survey and facilitated a discussion on transit needs in the county.

Marketing/Public Information The group immediately discussed how the service, while very valuable, is underutilized because it is so little-known or is misunderstood. Many attendees commented that Mari-Go is commonly

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thought of as a system exclusively for seniors. It was explained that most people learn about the service through the Veteran’s Administration, or through word-of-mouth. Suggestions for marketing the service included: • Add lettering on the vehicle stating “Mariposa Transit”, to communicate that it is not a senior transportation system. Adding “Dial-a Ride” would also be informative. • Advertise the service in the local paper, in flyers sent by mail, as an insert in PG&E bills, or as an information sheet or brochure included with papers sent home with school packets. • A driver commented that he is frequently asked where the bus goes. He suggested that with the new buses now in service, Mari-Go should advertise where they go and who can ride, on both the north and south sides. • Market the service through the County Human Services Department by selling bus passes or vouchers for clients. • Give people information when they lose their drivers’ license for any reason – because of age, tickets, or loss of eyesight. • Speak to local groups, such as the Merchants’ Association.

The group thought a survey of non-riders, especially youth, would shed light on transportation needs. YARTS conducted a survey for their SRTP, and Mariposa Transit completed a survey for their recent Marketing plan; both surveys included riders and non-riders. A Medi-Trans driver attending the meeting said that marketing of the medical transportation has been mostly word–of-mouth. Mari-Go provides service to Fresno, Madera, Merced, and Mariposa, with no service to Oakhurst (Madera County). This is the only local transportation service which accommodates wheelchairs.

Service Enhancements Desired destinations for Mari-Go were Castle Air Force Base (Atwater), Anberry Rehabilitation Hospital, and Wal-Mart (Sonora and Merced). In addition, attendees suggested that Mari-Go provide service to special events in the summer, and offer service to the Fresno airport which could be by appointment. (Currently passengers can get a ride to the airport on Medi-Trans if the vehicle is in the vicinity.) Attendees suggested the following service enhancements or improvements: • “Travel Buddies” for medical trips (one person at the meeting volunteered their services) • Accommodate bicycles on the bus – this would be more relevant once there were more non-senior passengers. Currently, on-board storage can be arranged in advance. • Additional space for vehicles to accommodate more than one wheelchair. • One bus, five-day service for around town • Service to the fairgrounds and the airport • Free ride for seniors and their caregivers to lunch at the senior center.

YARTS While the meeting was intended to focus on Mari-Go and Medi-Trans, there were also several comments on YARTS service.

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• YARTS has a new stop at Rite Aid so people can park and ride. They have discontinued the stop at the Visitor’s Center; some attendees felt YARTS should serve both stops. According to their website, tickets to ride YARTS are available at the Visitor Center, but Rite Aid is not shown as a place to buy tickets. • Not all YARTS vehicles are wheelchair-accessible; new vehicles will all be accessible. Currently if a rider needs wheelchair accessibility, they call ahead so YARTS can make sure an accessible vehicle is on that run. • The YARTS bus fare includes admission to the park; this is not well-known. • The service could be marketed through hotels, perhaps with a “family fare”. Currently, commuter fares are available, a 20-trip pass, good for 90 days, which offers substantial savings.

Driver Meeting The consultant team met with one driver in Coulterville, and with two drivers at the senior center in Mariposa. The drivers’ comments echoed those of the meeting attendees; the primary focus is to promote the service more broadly. They reiterated what was heard at the public workshop – that many county residents are completely unaware of the service, or think it is just for seniors. They recommended advertising in the two local free papers in order to reach lower income people. The drivers also noted that the vehicles themselves do not have headsigns, which would provide more brand visibility. The lack of markings on the vehicle means that other drivers are not aware that it is a public transit service, and thus are puzzled when the MediTrans vans stop at all rail tracks. Communication between drivers and dispatchers is done through pagers as there is limited cell phone coverage in the mountainous areas. Service policies would be helpful to both the drivers and passengers. Policies would help insure that riders were treated consistently, and would relieve the drivers of having to make independent decisions concerning passenger behavior. The drivers provided insights into how the service is perceived and how it might be improved: • Going to different areas on different days is confusing to some people and limiting to riders. • Riders do not like riding in the smaller vans. There is not much seating room, and if they have packages from a shopping trip, there is little room to accommodate them. • The Monday trip to Hornitos carries one person; this is a 50 mile round trip, which the driver makes twice (once to pick up in Hornitos and take to Mariposa, once to take back to Hornitos and return to Mariposa). That’s 100 miles and 2+ hours of driving time for one person. • While many say they want to go to Oakhurst, previous private service for that long distance trip was not profitable. • One service option proposed was a fixed-route service in Mariposa five days a week; it also might be a fixed/ deviation service. However, adding fixed-route service would require stops, shelters, and benches. Another variation on this service would be fixed/deviated route plus a subsidized taxi service for seniors.

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Stakeholder Interviews The team interviewed individuals who could provide insight into special groups in Mariposa County. Louis Bickford is a Service Officer for VFW Post 9454 in Coulterville and volunteers to provide transportation for veterans in north Mariposa County. He is also the FSO for American Indian Veterans Outreach, Director of 1st Nations Veteran Service Organization, a member of the Little Shell Band of Chippewa, and a 100% disabled Viet Nam Combat veteran. We discussed the transportation needs of veterans in north Mariposa County. Louis estimates that of the 5000 to 6000 residents of the north Mariposa area, half the households have a resident veteran. This is a very low-income rural area; many veterans do not get the medical care they need because of the current high cost of gasoline and the long distance to medical facilities. Veterans medical services are divided into districts, with one based at the Veteran’s Hospital in Palo Alto, and one in Fresno. Although technically Coulterville is in the Fresno district, it is much more convenient for veterans in Coulterville to go to Sonora Regional Medical Center for regular medical care, which falls in the Palo Alto District. Louis estimates that 85% of Mariposa vets go to Sonora for their medical care, with 15% going to the outpatient clinic in Merced for primary care. The trip from Coulterville to Sonora is about 30 minutes on relatively flat roads, while driving to Mariposa takes 45 minutes to an hour on very windy mountain roads. Sonora County Hospital has made arrangements with the Palo Alto VA health care system to provide medical service to veterans from north Mariposa County through the VA primary care clinic in Sonora on a fee basis. For more specialized or complex medical treatment, northern Mariposa veterans go to specialty clinics at veteran’s hospitals in Palo Alto or Livermore, utilizing the Sonora VA primary care clinic for referrals. Transportation from Coulterville to Palo Alto is provided by the VA; however, the trip begins at 4:30 AM in Sonora, and returns to Sonora at 9:30 PM. For older people with medical issues, this is an arduous trip, and many either get there another way, or simply do not go. For emergency service, ambulances in Mariposa County deliver Coulterville veterans to the Sonora County Hospital rather than Mariposa Hospital because of the travel time. Veterans in south Mariposa County are better connected to medical care, with John C. Fremont Hospital in Mariposa, a new VA clinic in Oakhurst and Merced, and public transit options to Fresno. However, Fremont Hospital is not a veteran’s facility and does not have a reciprocal agreement with the VA for reimbursement. The Fresno VA District would have to approve this arrangement. Volunteer services for veteran’s transportation has sometimes been available. Barriers to sustaining this service are finding enough drivers, and reimbursing them for fuel costs. At one time Palo Alto Volunteer Services offered a van to Coulterville if they could find a volunteer driver and pay for the gas option; however, because of reductions in VA funding, this option is no longer available. Louis said that the single most important transportation need for north county veterans is regular transportation to Sonora. Transportation service to Sonora was available four times per week until recently when it was cut back to one day (Tuesday) a week. He estimates that approximately 30 people a week would take the trip to Sonora VA primary care clinic, and thinks that the $4 fare each way would be acceptable to riders.

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Shannon Hansen is the Manager of the Mariposa Department of Parks and Recreation. There are eight parks in the county; one of the largest is Mariposa Park, which houses a pool, picnic areas, a skateboard park, tennis courts, and lawns on a 14-acre site. This park is the site of summer programs for youth including a summer-long day camp, swimming lessons, and lap swims. Coulterville also has a park with a swimming pool. Shannon says transportation for youth is definitely needed, and would be used if it were available. She has seen young people walking from the Midpines area to Mariposa – a distance of six miles – to go to the pool, the library, and the skate park. During the summer, lots of students are stuck at home because their parents work and are unable to drive them to activities and events. During the summer, in addition to the Butterfly Festival in Mariposa, there are events at the Fairgrounds in Mormon Bar and in Coulterville. Shannon feels that transportation services would definitely be used both to get into Mariposa and also to go to Coulterville for special events. She said that in years past they were able to get special services from Mari-Go to take youth to bowling in Oakhurst or other events, but at some point, she was told this was no longer possible. She was under the impression that Mari-Go was only for seniors and people with disabilities. To summarize, Shannon said, “We are a foothill community with zero transportation; with most parents working, transportation service for youth is greatly needed and would be well-used”. James Rydingsword is the Director of Human Services for Mariposa County. The Mariposa Department of Human Services administers a wide range of social services such as adult and child protective services, foster home licensing, in-home supportive services, drug and alcohol recovery services, and employment programs. They have offices in Mariposa and in Coulterville, and plan to relocate their current Mariposa services to a newly constructed facility in Mariposa in late June 2011. James grouped transportation needs of his clients into three categories: • Local transportation: transporting people from their homes into Mariposa for appointments. • Medical transportation: While there is some medical transportation service, most people in Mariposa don’t know it exists. There is a particular need for out-of-county medical transportation. • YARTS: educating Human Services clients on how YARTS works.

Human Services is currently in conversations with Community Services (the organizational home of Mari-Go) to coordinate bus times and human services appointments, and to insure that the human services offices are on Mariposa bus routes. In addition, they are planning on publicizing the local bus services to their clients as soon as final printed materials are available. At one time, HS distributed vouchers for bus fare to their clients. Over time, the service was marketed as being exclusively for seniors and people with disabilities, so this practice stopped. Now that Mariposa Transit is re-branding Mari-Go as a general public dial-a-ride service, James said they would return to supplying bus fare vouchers through an agreement with Mari-Go. With the cancellation of bus service from Greeley Hill to Coulterville and Sonora, transit to the HS office in Coulterville may be more difficult. If service in that area is reinstated, clients could more easily get to the HS offices.

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Chapter 5. Needs Assessment This chapter summarizes the major findings and mobility needs in Mariposa County drawn from the preceding chapters. Major themes that emerged through both the analysis of existing conditions as well as input from the public, transit riders, drivers, and stakeholders are presented. When evaluating publicly subsidized rural transit services in California, it is important to consider the following: • The low density and dispersed nature of travel demand in a rural county. It may not be cost effective to serve all unmet mobility needs in a low density rural area with fixed route or dial-a-bus services. • Bus operating costs and the long distances many riders need to travel. • Riders often need to travel to destinations beyond county lines. • TDA farebox ratio requirements. • TDA funding capacity. While it is important to meet mobility needs identified through the needs assessment process, it is also critical to develop a service strategy that is both cost-efficient and sustainable. Thus, establishing service and market priorities is an important step. Based on outreach activity feedback and evaluation of the existing services and programs in Mariposa County, the high priority market is found to be the transit dependent population. This group is primarily persons who do not have access to an automobile to meet their travel needs. The transit dependent population is mainly composed of low income, unemployed, senior, disabled and youth populations. Onboard passenger survey findings are a strong indicator that the majority of riders currently using Mari-Go and Medi-Trans services are transit dependent. Three quarters of respondents in the 2011 survey reported annual household incomes of less than $25,000 and half of all respondents are elderly; over 75 years of age. In a rural area like Mariposa County, it is important to understand that it is difficult and potentially counterproductive to market publicly subsidized transportation services to individuals who have convenient access to a car. With limited funding resources, publicly subsidized transportation services should be concentrated on those who depend on the service most. The transit dependent population should be the priority market and those with access to an automobile are potentially part of the solution through a ride share program. It is also important to acknowledge that regular fixed route transit service cannot effectively and efficiently serve dispersed settlement patterns like those found in a rural environment. To be cost effective, a fixed route or deviated fixed route should be focused where potential ridership is concentrated, such as major activity centers and in towns. The following section discusses the needs and improvement opportunities that provide a foundation for developing the recommended strategies for enhancing public transit services in Mariposa County.

The Setting Mariposa County is primarily rural, with a widely dispersed population and no incorporated towns. The population grew by over 6% during the last decade, and is expected to continue to grow

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modestly and steadily through 2030. The proportion of seniors will grow even faster than the general population; in 2000, less than one in five Mariposa County residents was over 65 years of age, but by 2030 this proportion is expected to increase to one in three. Generally, Mariposa County has a higher percentage of seniors and low-income residents than in California, with almost a quarter of the residents of the town of Mariposa with incomes below the poverty level. Much of the employment in the area is related to recreational and hospitality services for travelers going to Yosemite National Park. As the transit-dependent population of low-income residents, seniors, and commuters continues to grow, the role of public transportation to provide mobility for Mariposa residents will continue to increase in importance. A current effort to address the increasing need for transportation coupled with decreasing resources is the development of a mobility management function to provide a single resource for transportation services in the county. Several social service agencies and transportation providers are involved in this process. Other efforts include implementation of the Mari-Go Transit Marketing Plan to increase awareness about local transportation services. Mariposa County also continues its financial commitment for and coordination with YARTS to serve both commuters and recreational visitors.

Existing Transit Services Mariposa County Transit operates two services: Mari-Go, a curb-to-curb dial-a-ride service serving the general public and Medi-Trans, a medical transport service. Mari-Go operates one bus in the north part of the county and another in the south on weekdays. Each day of the week, Mari-Go serves a different corridor or area, organizing passenger pickups by location. Until recently, Mari-Go connected seniors in the north county with the Adult Day Health Center in Sonora; however, that center has ceased operations due to funding cuts. Medi-Trans provides service to seniors and veterans on the same days as Mari-Go but hours of service vary. Additional transportation service in Mariposa County includes YARTS who provides service to recreational visitors and employees of Yosemite National Park and other businesses focused on recreational travelers. YARTS also provides a host of social service transportation providers serving specific populations such as seniors, people with physical or developmental disabilities and school children.

Data Collection and Public Input The study team developed a comprehensive data collection and public outreach component to help inform this project. As part of this research, the study team distributed surveys on board Mari-Go and Medi-Trans buses, held public meetings and interviewed bus drivers and key stakeholders. Based on these efforts, several themes emerged: • The Mari-Go system is greatly appreciated and needed by those who use it. Survey respondents rated all aspects of the service as very good or excellent. Almost half of survey respondents said that if the service did not exist, they would not have taken their trip at all. • Riders and drivers are also acutely aware that the service is underutilized, primarily because local residents think only seniors and people with disabilities are eligible to use the service. Participants understood that the service needs to attract more riders – both seniors and the general public – and public comments focused in large part on how to better market the service to increase ridership.

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• Service requests and suggested destinations identified by stakeholders included Wal-Mart in Merced and Sonora, the Fresno Airport and various locations in Oakhurst. (These destinations are outside of Mariposa County) • Some stakeholders also expressed the desire for a fixed-route service to circulate within Mariposa County to connect the new Human Services Department building, stores and other major generators. • Some stakeholders also expressed a desire for both Saturday and Sunday transit service. • Drivers and passengers noted that the smaller vans cannot adequately accommodate packages, which is a constraint for shopping trips. Larger vehicles are desired for all trips.

Opportunities for Enhancing Transit Services in Mariposa County Based on the inventory and analysis of existing services, input from the public and information from several existing planning documents, there are several opportunities to enhance Mariposa Transit to attract more riders and improve upon its current policies and procedures.

Service Considerations Mari-Go services meet basic mobility needs within the county. However there are opportunities to increase ridership and reach a much broader segment of the population. Areas to explore include: • A fixed-route or deviated fixed-route service may be desirable within the town of Mariposa during the midday hours to connect major trip generators. Such a service would require installation of bus stops and possibly shelters and benches. • A general public dial-a-ride in Mariposa could be operated as a subsidized taxi service on weekdays or weekends. • A “lifeline” reservation based service to serve Oakhurst and Sonora that would alternate between the two communities once or twice a month. This would provide access to shopping, social services and medical services in these neighboring communities. • A service in North County to replace the recently terminated service to the ADHC. • Collaboration with the proposed mobility management function to ensure that requests for service are directed to the “right” service – be it Mari-Go, a volunteer driver or a social service agency. Chapter 7 recommends a series of alternatives and recommendations for Mari-Go.

Service Policies Currently there are no written service policies for Mari-Go. Service policies typically address guidelines regarding the type and level of driver assistance, the number and size of packages allowed on board, no-show and late cancellations and other related issues. Having written policies helps passengers understand how the service functions and ensures they are treated fairly and consistently. With policies in place, it removes the case-by-case decision making placed on drivers. Written policies provide guidance and “back up” to drivers handling sensitive situations. See Chapter 6 for recommended service policies.

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Data Management Much of the tracking of operational data such as passengers served, fares paid, and miles driven is tracked through handwritten records. This process has been in place for a number of years and is no longer an efficient and practical method for accurate record keeping. With a recent change in transit management, there is a renewed interest in improving data management and tracking and monitoring system performance on a regular basis. Even a simple system using standard software could make this process more efficient, accurate and be useful in monitoring service trends over time.

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Chapter 6. Goals, Objectives, and Standards This chapter presents goals, objectives, performance measures and standards for Mariposa County Transit (Mari-Go and Medi-Trans). In the absence of existing goals and objectives, new goals and objectives are proposed based on a combination of transit industry standards, best practices from comparable rural transit systems and recent performance of Mariposa County Transit. The first section of this chapter discusses and defines the purpose and value of establishing goals, objectives and performance standards. The next section presents a peer review of other rural public transportation services to provide context for Mariposa County Transit and is followed by the consultant’s recommendations. The chapter concludes by presenting a recommended set of service policies to clarify the responsibilities of Mari-Go and Medi-Trans and passenger expectations.

Goals and Objectives Goals and objectives provide a framework for measuring and monitoring transit system performance. They should reflect the unique operating environment and values of the community it serves. Performance standards are critical to the management, evaluation and planning of public transit services and provides benchmarks for evaluating performance. Before recommending specific goals, objectives and performance standards, it is important to review the various components of a performance measurement process. They are: • Goals set the tone by establishing the overall policy direction and organizational philosophy. They are outcome statements that define what an organization is trying to accomplish. Goals should represent the primary concerns of Mari-Go as well as support the mission and be mindful of the markets identified for Mari-Go service. • Objectives are intended to be more specific statements of the methods proposed for accomplishing the goals. Objectives must relate to the goal, represent an action, and be measurable. Stakeholders, staff, Board members, riders and potential riders should be able to relate to and understand the stated goals and objectives. Monitoring system performance and designing the “right” services are important tasks for transit operators. Goals and objectives provide a “vision” for public transit, whereas standards provide a formal, quantifiable structure for how the service should perform. Through performance monitoring, service inefficiencies and negative trends become visible, allowing timely corrective action. Changes to existing service and the introduction of new service can be justified through performance measurements. • Performance measures are the criteria by which specific achievements consistent with system objectives are determined. They provide a means to assess whether actual performance is meeting or has met adopted objectives. Selected measures should be monitored on a regular basis (month-to-month, quarterly) by transit staff, and regularly reported to advisory groups or policy makers. • Standards define acceptable thresholds of accomplishment or action items that represent attainment of an objective at a given point in time. Standards are typically quantitative and directly measurable (e.g., 10 passengers per revenue hour) but can also be qualitative (e.g., service should be user-friendly). Standards should be agreed-upon

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targets for the transit system to achieve and may be recalibrated annually or more frequently to reflect changing circumstances such as market changes, funding changes, and operational changes.

Recommended Performance Measures &Standards This recommended performance measures and standards for Mari-Go and Medi-Trans are presented below. Should Mariposa decide to implement an in town fixed-route service, a separate set of performance standards should be developed to measure the service.

Recommended Measures Efficiency standards use operational performance data to measure the performance of a transit system. Monitoring operational efficiency and productivity requires data such as operating cost, farebox revenue recovery, vehicle revenue miles, vehicle revenue hours and boardings (passenger trips). Mariposa County Transit has limited staff resources to collect and analyze a broad range of performance data. We have therefore limited our recommended efficiency performance standards to several key indicators that will provide the Transit Manager with a good picture of how well service is doing. Recommended efficiency performance measures include: • Operating Cost per Passenger: Calculated by dividing all operating and administrative costs by total passengers. The subsidy per passenger is a further refinement of this measure and is calculated by subtracting farebox revenue from gross operating and administrative costs and dividing by total passengers. This measure is useful when service cuts or enhancements are being considered and justified. • Operating Cost per Revenue Hour: Calculated by dividing all operating and administrative costs by the total number of vehicle revenue hours (with revenue hours defined as time when the vehicle is actually in passenger service). Operating cost per revenue hour measures system-wide efficiency and should be tracked on a monthly and annual basis. • Passengers per Revenue Hour: Calculated by dividing the total number of passengers by the total number of vehicle revenue hours. The number of passengers per hour is a good measure of service productivity. • Farebox Recovery Ratio: Calculated by dividing all farebox revenue by total operating and administrative costs. Farebox recovery evaluates both system efficiency (through operating costs) and productivity (through boardings). These indicators comply with the basic performance indicators that are largely consistent with operating and cost data already collected and required by TDA. All of these factors should be used in combination with one another to provide a complete picture of system performance. A comprehensive system should also include service quality and reliability measures. Suggested measures include: • On-Time Performance is measured by recording bus departure and arrival times on a regular schedule to monitor pickup times. • Passenger Complaints records the number of passenger complaints that are submitted in writing or verbally conveyed to the transit agency. This is typically measured as number of complaints divided by 500 or 1,000 passengers.

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• Preventable Accidents/Revenue Mile is an important safety measurement and is calculated by dividing the number of preventable accidents by revenue miles. • Road Calls/Revenue Mile measures the condition of the vehicles and reliability of the service and is calculated by the number of road calls divided by revenue miles. • Service denials measure the number of trips requested that cannot be fulfilled because of other trips already booked.

Peer Review A peer review was conducted of transit providers comparable to Mariposa County Transit to provide context for recommending performance standards. The transit agencies selected operate primarily in a rural environment, are largely dial-a-ride services and provide connections to a larger regional transit network. The transit operators in this peer review are:

Service Agency Geographic Area Inyo & Mono Counties Dial-a-Ride Services (4) Eastern Sierra Transit Authority Inyo County, California Lassen County General Public Dial-A-Ride Lassen Transit Service Agency Lassen County, California Tuolumne Dial-a-Ride Tuolumne County Transit Tuolumne County, California U-Ride Direct U-Ride Transit City of Roseburg, Oregon

A brief description of these agencies follows.

Inyo and Mono County Dial-a-Ride Services In 2006, Inyo and Mono counties, together with the City of Bishop and the Town of Mammoth Lakes, entered into a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) to administer and operate the Eastern Sierra Transit Authority (ESTA). ESTA assumed operating responsibility for transit service in the two-county area on July 1, 2007. There are four dial-a-ride services within the ESTA service area, serving in and around Bishop and Lone Pine in Inyo County, and Mammoth and Walker in Mono County. All four services are for both general public and special needs riders.

Lassen County Dial-A-Ride Lassen Rural Bus provides door to door transportation to customers who are 60 years of age or over, or who are disabled. This service doubles as Lassen’s ADA paratransit service. All dial-a - ride passenger trips are set at $1.75 per trip. If an attendant or caregiver is necessary to provide assistance, their trip is free of charge.

Tuolumne Dial-a-Ride Tuolumne County Transit runs a curb-to-curb dial-a-ride service. It is available on weekdays for ADA-certified and non-certified people with disabilities and seniors age 60 and over. Service between Groveland and Sonora is available to all members of the public on Tuesdays. Saturday service (between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM) is available to all members of the public within the fixed route service area (which does not operate on weekends).

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U-Trans U-Trans is a public transportation service operated by United Community Action Network in Douglas County, Oregon. U-Ride runs a dial-a-ride paratransit service in Roseburg, a city of 21,000. This is a curb-to-curb paratransit service for people of any age with qualifying disabilities; there are no restrictions as to trip purpose. The service operates on weekdays from 6:50 AM to 6:30 PM, and costs $3.50 per trip, with attendants riding free.

Operating Characteristics and System Performance Figure 6-1 presents a summary of the peer agency characteristics and financial and operating performance data. The hourly and passenger costs and productivity measures for each rural transit provider including Mari-Go are graphically presented in Figures 6-2 through 6-6 The time periods covered by the data vary slightly and on occasion, rounded figures were used. However, all data are relatively recent (FY 2008 through 2010) and relevant for meaningful comparison. Overall, Mari-Go carries the fewest passengers per hour, but has the highest average fare per passenger. Mari-Go has the lowest hourly cost at $48.00. The farebox recovery ratios for the rural services show wide variation which may reflect that other local subsidies are includes with passenger fares, resulting in a higher farebox recovery ratio. The peer review data suggests that when ridership increases on Mari-Go’s services, the cost effectiveness indicators will improve.

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Figure 6-1 Peer Agency Characteristics and Performance Data

Mariposa Inyo/Mono Tuolumne City of Roseburg, Location County Counties Lassen County County Oregon

Mariposa County Eastern Sierra Transit Lassen Transit Service Tuolumne County Agency Transit Authority Agency Transit U-Trans 4 DaRs: Bishop, Lone Lassen County Name and Type of Mari-Go (General Pine, Mammoth, General Public Dial-A- General Public Dial-a- Service Public Dial-A-Ride) Walker Ride Ride U-Trans Direct Service Area 1,451 10,203 4,557 2,235 9.2 (County)(sq mi) Service (County) Population 18,251 18,546 34,895 55,365 21,181 (2010 Census) Population Density 13 2 8 25 2,302 (/sq. mile) Phoenix Lake-Cedar Mariposa Bishop Susanville City of Roseburg Largest Community Ridge CDP * Population of Largest 2,173 not applicable 17,947 5,123 21,181 Community (2010) Financial and Operating FY 2009 FY 2009-10 FY 2009-10 FY 2009-10 FY 2009-10 Statistics Service Miles 94,000 920,000 219,279 136,478 37,517 Revenue Service 5,200 50,340 11,237 7,617 4,243 Hours Passenger Trips 7,084 532,000 74,095 27,964 6,265 Operating Costs $250,033 $3,001,141 $741,070 $1,017,066 $219,275 Farebox Revenue $24,825 $775,571 $168,668 $59,868 $21,900 Performance Indicators Farebox Recovery 9.9% 25.8% 22.8% 5.9% 10.0% Ratio Operating Cost per $35.30 $5.64 $10.00 $36.37 $35.00 Passenger Subsidy/Passenger $31.79 $4.18 $7.73 $34.23 $31.50 Average $3.50 $1.46 $2.28 $2.14 $3.50 Fare/Passenger Operating $48.08 $59.62 $65.95 $133.53 $51.68 Cost/Revenue Hour Passengers/Revenue 1.36 10.57 6.59 3.67 1.48 Hour * 2000 Census data

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Passenger per Revenue Hour Mari-Go has the lowest productivity carrying about 1.4 passengers per hour, Eastern Sierra has the highest productivity but this includes their regular fixed route service as well as their Dial-a- Ride service. Figure 6-2 Passengers per Revenue Hour

ESTA Total 10.57

Lassen Dial-a-Ride

Tuolumne Dial-a-Ride

U-Trans Direct

Mari-Go 1.36

0.00 2.00 4.00 6.00 8.00 10.00 12.00

Operating Cost per Revenue Hour Mari-Go also has the lowest operating cost per hour at $48.08. Figure 6-3 Operating Cost per Revenue Hour

Lassen Dial-a-Ride

ESTA Total

U-Trans Direct

Mari-Go $48.08

$0 $20 $40 $60 $80

Note: Tuolumne data not available

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Operating Cost per Passenger Mari-Go’s cost per passenger is comparable to U-Trans and Tuolumne Dial-A-Ride which is approximately $35.00 per hour. Figure 6-4 Operating Cost per Passenger

Tuolumne Dial-a-Ride

Mari-Go $35.30

U-Trans Direct

Lassen Dial-a-Ride

ESTA Total $5.64

$0.00 $10.00 $20.00 $30.00 $40.00

Average Fare per Passenger Mari-Go has the highest fare per passenger of the systems, at $3.50, identical to U-Trans. This is in part due to the longer-distance trips which Mari-Go provides. Figure 6-5 Average Fare per Passenger

Mari-Go $3.50

U-Trans Direct

Lassen Dial-a-Ride

Tuolumne Dial-a-Ride

ESTA Total $1.46

$0.00 $1.00 $2.00 $3.00 $4.00

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Farebox Recovery Ratio Mari-Go service has a farebox recovery ratio just under 10%, as compared with Tuolumne at 5.9%, and Lassen at almost 23% Figure 6-6 Farebox Recovery Ratio

ESTA Total 25.8%

Lassen Dial-a-Ride

U-Trans Direct

Mari-Go 9.9%

Tuolumne Dial-a-Ride 5.9%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

Recommended Goals, Objectives, and Standards Based on Mari-Go’s performance, transit industry standards and the performance of other rural operators, the following goals, objectives and service standards are recommended for existing dial-a-ride service and proposed fixed route service (discussed in Chapter 7). Figure 6-7 below shows the relationship between these different goals, objectives and service standards.

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Figure 6-7 Recommended Goals, Objectives, Performance Measures and Standards Performance Goals

Performance Standard Performance Standard (or Action Item) (or Action Item) Proposed Fixed-Route/Deviated Goal Objective Performance Measure Dial-A-Ride Service Fixed-Route Service

Continue to provide dial-a-ride service Level of geographic coverage, taking into Serve major activity centers within town of throughout the county for the general Serve all of Mariposa County. account any topographic constraints Mariposa. public.

Operate public transportation that is Coordinate with YARTS and transit Ensure access to connecting transit Ensure bus route serves major activity Provide service to YARTS bus stops. effective at meeting the needs of service providers in neighboring counties. operators. centers in town. Mariposa County residents Prepare monthly performance reports Prepare monthly performance reports Continue program monitoring, planning including comparisons to previous month’s including comparisons to previous month’s Performance reports and evaluation of Mariposa Transit results and how the service is tracking results and how the service is tracking based on performance standards based on performance standards

Passenger productivity 3.0 passengers/vehicle service hour 10.0 passengers/vehicle service hour (passengers/vehicle service hour)

Annual increase should be no greater than Annual increase should be no greater than the consumer price index (CPI) , the consumer price index (CPI) , Provide a service which will maximize Operating cost per vehicle service hour Provide an efficient & effective service implemented only if service is not meeting implemented only if service is not meeting system productivity and efficiency. required farebox recovery ratio. required farebox recovery ratio.

Operating cost per passenger Less than $30.00 per passenger trip Less than $30.00 per passenger trip

Maximize farebox recovery ratio 10% or greater 10% or greater

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Performance Standard Performance Standard (or Action Item) (or Action Item) Proposed Fixed-Route/Deviated Goal Objective Performance Measure Dial-A-Ride Service Fixed-Route Service

Preventative maintenance inspections 100% of PMIs within 500 miles of 100% of PMIs within 500 miles of scheduled completed on schedule scheduled time time

Miles between road calls >10,000 miles >10,000 miles

Miles between preventable accidents >50,000 miles >50,000 miles Maintain a safe service that passengers Provide a safe & reliable service Passengers requesting route deviation will can easily rely on. 90% within 0-30 minutes Response (wait) time for pickup requests be picked up within -/+ 10 minutes of the 100% within 60 minutes negotiated pickup time

Verified passenger complaints <1 per 1,000 passenger trips <1 per 1,000 passenger trips

Less than 2% of requests denied within Service Denials Not Applicable the requested pickup window

Fare increases should be considered only if service is not meeting required farebox recovery ratio. Fares should be comparable to Dial-A-Ride Fare Increase fares at least initially. Make public transportation affordable to Offer customers an affordable service on residents of Mariposa County. Mariposa County Transit. Consider small incremental fare increases regularly rather than large increases.

Implement and monitor voucher program Implement and monitor voucher program Voucher Program with the Dept. of Human Services. with the Dept. of Human Services.

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Marketing Goals

Performance Standard Goal Objective Performance Measure (or Action Item)

Have brochures available at locations throughout the Have brochures available at locations throughout the Update brochures and develop a distribution network. county county especially at the Human Services Center. Promote and market the service to ensure that all residents are aware of the service and how to A primary role of a Mobility Manager is to disseminate use it. Ensure that residents are able to access information Implement Mobility Management function in Mariposa information about all public transportation services about existing transportation services County. and help to coordinate all public transportation services in the county.

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Tracking System Performance Quarterly reporting of key performance indicators and comparing them to the established standards will allow Mari-Go to analyze trends and take corrective action to ensure that service performance is moving in the right direction.

Operations and Performance Tracking Tool On a limited basis, Mariposa Transit tracks operational through a manual process. With recent staffing increases, it is believed that performance tracking can begin to occur in a more thorough fashion and on a more regular basis. To support this process and as a companion piece to this Plan, the consultant has provided a digital workbook to automate the generation of performance measures based on monthly inputs. The tracking tool is a spreadsheet that allows the user to enter data each month which rolls up on a quarterly and annual basis. The spreadsheet generates the TDA-required data calculations as well as several other important measures. The percent change month over month for each of these factors is shown, and an annual report showing the statistics by quarter. Data is also represented in charts showing various aspects of cost and performance.

Service Policies This section discusses the importance of service policies and recommends a family of policies for Mariposa Transit. Service policies help clarify the relationship between the transit provider and the customer. They provide a set of guidelines for how customers, the transit provider, and transit agency staff can effectively work together. With implementation of the Mari-Go’s Marketing Plan, there will likely be an increase in ridership, so establishing clear policies now will clarify roles and responsibilities for drivers and riders alike. Transit service policies also help insure that riders are treated equally and fairly and support drivers when enforcing rules on the bus. Service polices should be communicated in a friendly and clear manner through multiple methods. Some examples include posting on the transit agency’s web site, displaying posters on transit vehicles and at transit stops and including service policies in system brochures. When policies are first established or are changed, additional measures should be considered, such as ads could be placed in local newspapers and flyers distributed at the senior center, library or other local businesses.

Scope of Policies The number and type of service policies vary widely among transit agencies. The following section provides an overview of topics typically covered by service policies. How to access the service. For dial-a-ride service, this includes how far in advance to call for a ride; no-show policies; what constitutes an on-time window; hours during which reservations can be made; and advance notice for cancelling a reservation. For fixed route service, this can include how to properly flag down a bus. Fare policies. Fare policies typically state that that everyone must pay as they board; most systems also require exact change so that the driver doesn’t have to carry and handle money. Other fare-related policies cover refunds or exchanges for passes, or let caregivers or mobility assistants ride for free. Vouchers would also be covered under fare policies.

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Level of driver assistance. The level of assistance for passenger boarding, alighting, and managing carry-on items varies among systems, with some stating that drivers will assist with all carry-on items and others stating that no assistance at all is required from the driver. Carry-on items allowed on the bus. Almost universally, there is no eating, drinking, or smoking on board transit vehicles. Some do not allow any food at all on board, while others allow it in a closed container. In addition, policies on carry-on items cover the number and size of packages, where they are stowed, items not allowed on the buses, and disposal of found items. Typically, strollers and bicycles are specifically addressed. Items disallowed include firearms, hazardous or flammable materials, or compressed gases (except oxygen for medical uses). A subset of this policy group covers animals on board. Commonly, only service animals are allowed on buses; however, some systems will allow any animal that is contained in a small cage or can stay on the passenger’s lap. Children. Most systems state a minimum age for unescorted riders – typically between the ages of 12 and 16. Alternatively, children may ride as long as they can behave responsibly and follow the rules. Passenger rules of conduct. These policies are established to manage the behavior of passengers so that the bus trip is safe and pleasant for everyone. They vary in the level of detail to accomplish this objective. Some simply state that passengers are expected to behave in a courteous and considerate manner to fellow passengers and to the driver, or face being asked to leave the bus. Others go further to define undesirable behavior; including drunkenness, horseplay, fighting or hitting, being in possession of illegal drugs, playing music without using headphones, or showing a lack of personal hygiene.

Mari-Go Service Policies Existing Policies Mari-Go has a small number of written service policies that are included in their marketing brochure, but do not appear on the MariGo web site. They are: • Children age 7 and over can ride the bus without adult supervision. • Passengers must be able to handle their own packages without assistance. Drivers are not permitted to assist with carry-on packages. • Packages must fit on the passenger’s lap or at their feet. • Trips must be scheduled in advance (no stated lead time). • Transportation between Coulterville/Greeley Hill and Mariposa must be arranged one week in advance. Through public outreach activities and stakeholder interviews, the consultant team observed that these policies are not well known by either riders or drivers. While the existing policies address some important areas, the following section recommends a series of comprehensive and practical service policies for Mari-Go.

Recommended Policies Figure 6-8 below lists policies recommended for Mari-Go. Because there have been so few documented policies to date, these recommended policies are somewhat general and tend to be non-restrictive while initiating a basic understanding of procedures and conduct.

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Figure 6-8 Recommended Service Policies

Category Service Policy

Scheduling or Cancelling All rides should be scheduled at least 2 hours prior to the time that you need the ride a Ride (and can be scheduled up to 2 weeks in advance).

Same day trips can be provided if space and time is available

Rides between Coulterville / Greely Hill areas to Mariposa and back can be arranged by calling at least one week in advance.

Cancellations should be made as far in advance as possible and must be made two hours before the scheduled ride time. Pick up times depend on availability. Remember Mari-Go is a “shared ride” service This means that other riders with different destinations may be picked up and dropped off along the way. Your trip on public transit may take longer than if you took a taxi or drove yourself. Paying for Service All rides must be paid for at the time of service. Drivers do not carry cash and cannot make change.

If you require an aide, they ride without charge. Please advise the dispatcher when you schedule your ride if you will have an aide riding with you.

Riders travelling to and from the Human Services Center ride free.

A voucher will be accepted as payment for a one-way trip for passengers deemed eligible by the HSC. Vouchers will be issued by the HSC.

"No-Show" Policy If you schedule a ride, and then 1) cancel the ride with less than two hours advance notice, 2) fail to meet the bus at the designated location, or 3) are not ready to go within five minutes of your scheduled pick-up time, that is considered a “no show”. A fare will be charged for a No Show trip. The passenger will be required to pay the No Show charge before the next trip. Two no-shows within a one-week period or three no-shows within a 30-day period can result in a two week suspension of service. If you schedule a trip, and then do not show up for that trip, any other trips you may have scheduled on that day are automatically cancelled.

Seniors, People with Children 7 years of age and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Disabilities and Children The seats at the front of the bus are to be yielded to seniors and people with disabilities.

Passengers using mobility devices such as wheelchairs or scooters must allow the devices to be secured in the designated areas on the bus.

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Category Service Policy

Carry-on Items Limit carry-on packages to the size and number that will fit on your lap or at your feet. Drivers are not permitted to assist passengers with carry-on packages.

Items carried on to the bus such as packages, back packs, suitcases, pet carriers, etc., must remain with the passenger at all times and cannot obstruct aisles, seating or entrance/exit ways of vehicles or wheelchair securement areas.

Animals are not allowed on Mari-Go Buses, except for one leashed service animal per passenger.

If you board the bus with a stroller, make sure it's folded and out of the aisle. Passengers traveling with a stroller and/or bundle buggy must be able to board and disembark without assistance from the driver.

The following items are not allowed on Mari-Go buses: open alcoholic beverages, firearms, flammable or hazardous materials, uncontained animals except service dogs.

Behavior There is no eating, drinking, or smoking allowed on Mari-Go vehicles.

Passengers must keep hands and feet inside the bus at all times.

Shirts and shoes are required.

In the event of an emergency, passengers will follow the instructions of the driver.

Passengers are able to listen to music provided earphones are used and music is at a low volume.

All passengers will behave in a courteous manner at all times with consideration for fellow passengers and the driver. The following behaviors are not allowed and may result in refusal of service: eating, drinking, or smoking on the bus; using profanity; being intoxicated or in possession of illegal drugs; playing music without using headphones; engaging in horseplay or hitting; refusing to yield a seat to a senior or person with a disability.

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Chapter 7. Service Plan

Introduction This chapter includes a series of alternatives and recommendations for transit service, administration and marketing in Mariposa County. Service alternatives were developed based on public input, findings for the data analysis, and opportunities to address identified needs or travel demands.

Mariposa Circulation Alternatives Local demand-response service is provided in Mariposa Monday, Wednesday and Friday between approximately 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM, and Thursday all day. This plan considers the goals for service enhancements and transit visibility in town, as well as agreements to provide service for Department of Human Services (DHS) clients to the Human Services Center. Three alternatives are proposed for local service in Mariposa County.

Alternative A – Status Quo, with Scheduled Pick-Ups for DHS Clients at Local Parking Lots Under this alternative, transit service would continue to be operated as a local dial-a-ride, but would have specific pick-up times at the Public Parking Lot on Stroming Rd. and at the YARTS Park-and-Ride lot at around 10:30 AM and a scheduled drop-off shortly thereafter at the Human Services Center. The bus would also have a scheduled departure time from the Human Services Center around 1:00 PM, with drop-offs at the two parking lots. Dial-a-ride service would continue to operate during the same hours and times as it currently does. No additional costs would be incurred for operating this service, and the service would remain a general public dial-a-ride.

Alternative B – Hybrid Dial-a-Ride and Scheduled Stops This alternative builds on the status quo option, providing a regular stop location in Mariposa that the bus would serve every 30 minutes during the hours of operation in town. It could also include some other dedicated stops. The purpose of having specific scheduled stops is to enable transit to accommodate on-demand trips by people who “walk on” and make a trip request. The local bus operating in town would serve specific timepoints at specific times midday and then would travel where requested. Under this concept, the bus would stop at the Public Parking Lot on Stroming Rd., designated stops along Highway 49 though the center of Mariposa, and at the YARTS Park-and-Ride lot — a total travel time of up to seven minutes with stops. It would then travel to the Human Services Center for the first trip outbound and then would deviate to any location on the north side of town – including locations along Jones and Bullion Streets, including John C. Fremont Hospital, the Senior Center, library, shops and homes – for up to 20 minutes, depending on scheduled trip requests or walk-on passenger destinations. The bus would return to the YARTS Park-and-Ride lot. From that point, the bus would pick up any passengers waiting at the lot and take them to their requested location in town, also picking up and dropping off other scheduled dial-a-ride users. The bus would return to the park-and-ride lot every 30 minutes to

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allow passengers on and off. At 1:00 PM the bus would depart the Human Services Center, make stops at the YARTS Park-and-Ride, other locations along Highway 149 and Stroming Parking Lot, before departing town for other destinations, depending on the day of the week. On Thursdays, the bus would continue to circulate within Mariposa. Figure 7-1 shows a conceptual schedule for this alternative, which allows Transit to schedule passengers for specific trip times in town and accommodate walk-on requests within a limited service area. This assumes a limited number of riders boarding so that local drop-offs and pickups can be completed within 20- to 30-minute periods, allowing time for scheduled driver breaks.

Alternative C – Local Mariposa Circulator The third alternative is designed primarily to make local transit service more attractive to general public users, by operating on a fixed route schedule, with some limited deviations strictly for ADA- eligible riders. Figure 7-2 shows a conceptual schedule for midday operations, which could be carried out over the full course of the day on Thursdays, or other days when a bus might be available for local circulation within Mariposa. Under this alternative, the shuttle would circulate every 30 minutes providing coverage to most of central Mariposa, as shown in Figure 7-3. Some flexibility is built into the schedule to allow for deviations to the senior center and John C. Fremont Hospital, where service would still be provided on-demand, either from persons calling ahead to reserve a pick-up, or from a boarding passenger who requests to be dropped off at either of these locations. The conceptual schedule would allow a small bit of flexibility to allow the vehicle to travel up to ¾ mile from the circulator route to pick up or drop off eligible riders only. Thus, implementation of this type of service would require an updated application process for Mariposa County Transit, so that ADA-eligible riders can be designated for pick-ups and drop-offs outside of the local service area. It should be noted that this fixed schedule could be used in combination with Alternative A or Alternative B on Thursdays. In other words, the circulator could operate midday only, with demand-response or hybrid service available for the remainder of the day.

ADA Implications If Mariposa County decides to operate a fixed-route service, it must continue to operate a dial-a- ride service to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Under the ADA, fixed route systems must provide a complementary demand response system providing service within ¾ miles of the fixed-route for people unable to use the fixed-route service. The service must be comparable in several key areas. An ADA service must serve origins and destinations within three-fourths of a mile on each side of a fixed-route. The service must be available the same hours and days as the fixed-route service. ADA requires that there can be no substantial number of denials for requests for next day service or that there are no trip purpose limitations. Other ADA requirements address eligibility requirements, travel time, on-time performance, and fares. This section is not intended to be a complete analysis of the ADA requirements, although it identifies some of the key areas that the County will need to consider if it elects to implement a fixed-route service. An important factor for Mariposa County will be the eligibility process. If an individual is unable due to a physical or mental impairment to board, ride, or disembark from an accessible transit vehicle, then under ADA regulatory requirements, they are eligible for ADA service. Regardless

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of the eligibility requirements, the service hours and days must mirror those of the fixed-route service. Ride requests will need to be made one-day in advance with same day service requests provided on a space available basis.

Recommended Service All three of these alternatives are presented because it may be appropriate to implement each, in progression, as ridership increases within the town of Mariposa. Thus, alternatives A and B can be seen as phases toward the development of a local circulator (Alternative C). Transit will appeal to a larger population group than the current demand-response users, and many non- riders, including visitors, would likely be more comfortable being able to hop on and off a community circulator than calling ahead to reserve a trip for a short local ride.

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Figure 7-1 Conceptual Schedule (Midday) for Alternative B – Hybrid Dial-a-Ride and Scheduled Stops

Intercity Service Highway Highway Intercity from Stroming Highway Highway 140 at YARTS Human Human YARTS 140 at Highway Highway Stroming Service to Elsewhere Parking 140 at 6th 140 at 8th 12th Park-and- Services Flex Service Services Park-and- 12th 149 at 8th 140 at 6th Parking Elsewhere in County Lot Street Street Street Ride Center in Mariposa Center Ride Street Street Street Lot in County Prior to 10:23 AM 10:24 AM 10:25 AM 10:26 AM 10:30 AM 10:35 AM until 11:00 AM 10:20 AM 11:00 AM until 11:30 AM 11:30 AM

11:30 AM until 12:00 PM 12:00 PM

12:00 PM until 12:30 PM 12:30 PM

After 12:30 PM until 1:00 PM 1:00 PM 1:05 PM 1:09 AM 1:10 PM 1:11 PM 1:12 PM 1:15 PM

Figure 7-2 Conceptual Schedule (Midday) for Alternative C – Local Mariposa Circulator

Intercity Service Intercity from Service to Elsewhere YARTS Elsewhere in Stroming Highway Opp. YARTS Human JC Bullion & Hwy 140 Park- Stroming in Mariposa Parking 140 at Pioneer Park-and- Services Senior Fremont Hwy 140 13th at 5th and- Parking Mariposa County Lot 8th Street Market Ride Rite Aid Center Center Hospital at Jones Street Library Street Ride Lot County Prior to 10:20 10:22 AM 10:24 AM 10:28 AM 10:30 AM 10:32 AM 10:35 AM * * 10:42 AM 10:43 AM 10:44 AM 10:46 AM 10:48 AM AM 10:52 AM 10:54 AM 10:58 AM 11:00 AM 11:02 AM 11:05 AM * * 11:12 AM 11:13 AM 11:14 AM 11:16 AM 11:18 AM

11:22 AM 11:24 AM 11:28 AM 11:30 AM 11:32 AM 11:35 AM * * 11:42 AM 11:43 AM 11:44 AM 11:46 AM 11:48 AM

11:52 AM 11:54 AM 11:58 AM 12:00 PM 12:02 PM 12:05 PM * * 12:12 PM 12:13 PM 12:14 PM 12:16 PM 12:18 PM

12:22 PM 12:24 PM 12:28 PM 12:30 PM 12:32 PM 12:35 PM * * 12:42 PM 12:43 PM 12:44 PM 12:46 PM 12:48 PM

After 12:52 PM 12:54 PM 12:58 PM 1:00 PM 1:02 PM 1:05 PM * * 1:10 PM 1:17 PM 1:20 PM *Upon Request. Request drop-off from driver when boarding or call ahead for pick-up

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Upon request or call ahead

John C Fremont Hospital Senior 49 Human Services Center HOSPITAL Center (DHS) Transit 140 Office SPRIGGS

HWY 49

SMITH SMITH MUELLER

DMV

OLD HWY N

HWY 140

Rite-Aid YARTS Chamber of Commerce Park-and-Ride Lot JONES

STANDEN PARK 12TH Government Center 11TH HWY 140/49 Courthouse BULLION JESSIE

8TH

STROMING 6TH

Public Parking Lot 5TH

140

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MARIPOSA COUNTY LOCAL TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

Lifeline Service to Oakhurst Based on expressed interest from members of the public, a concentration of shopping, medical and recreational destinations, and the ability to serve additional transit demands in southern and eastern Mariposa County, bi-monthly service to Oakhurst should be considered. The service would provide an alternative to Merced for residents of the town of Mariposa seeking goods and services that are not available locally. Depending on how it is marketed, it would also provide access – albeit very limited – for a very small group of Yosemite visitors making a one-way journey through the Park from Madera County to access it via Mariposa County. Presumably, the service would provide a midday trip, allowing for up to two hours in Oakhurst for any number of service needs, with the vehicle dropping passengers off at locations identified when they reserve their trip to Oakhurst. Likewise, walk-on passengers would be accommodated if they board at any of the designated stops along the route. A conceptual schedule, shown in Figure 7-4 illustrates how service might be provided to allow the mix of passengers with reserved pick-ups and walk-on passengers. Along Highway 49, the vehicle could deviate up to ¾ mile from the route for ADA-eligible riders.

Figure 7-4 Conceptual Schedule for Lifeline Service to/from Oakhurst

Passenger Crooks Pickups N YARTS Usona Road 601 Ranch Other side of Park-and- Stroming Darrah Rd. Forest Fire Nippina- Road, Vons, Oakhurst Town Ride Parking Lot Bootjack Station wassee Ahwanee Oakhurst Destinations Prior to 10:30 AM 10:37 AM 10:47 AM 10:55 AM 11:04 AM 11:08 AM 11:19 AM until 1:30 PM 10:30

Crooks Ranch Road 601 Usona YARTS Passenger Oakhurst Vons, Road, Nippina- Forest Fire Darrah Rd. Stroming Park-and- Drop Offs N Origins Oakhurst Ahwanee wassee Station Bootjack Parking Lot Ride side of Town Prior to 1:30 PM 1:39 PM 1:43 PM 1:52 PM 2:00 PM 2:10 PM 2:17 PM After 2:17 PM 1:30 PM

North County Service Tuesday service from North County to Sonora continues to operate, even with the elimination of ADHC bus service. This service provides a valuable link to major retail shopping destinations, as well as medical services not available in Mariposa County. According to ridership figures, a typical week in October, 15 seniors rode the North County bus to various retail stores in Sonora. Mariposa Transit staff is encouraged to continue monitoring ridership on this route to assess whether an additional day of service is warranted. The lack of service connecting North County with South County has been identified as an issue in the past. This link is informally available to the public but is not widely publicized, and no fares have been formally established for individuals seeking to use this service. Mariposa County Transit’s policy has been as indicated on the Transit website: “Transportation between the Coulterville /Greely Hill areas to Mariposa and back can be arranged by calling the Department of Community Service/Mariposa Transit Office … at least one week in advance.”

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The vast majority of North County residents are able to address medical and social service needs within North County, and are able to access Sonora for retail or other recreational purposes. Nevertheless, some residents may need to access services in the County Seat of Mariposa, which are not available elsewhere. Given resource limitations and a lack of past interest in this link, it can be presumed that publicizing the availability of this service is sufficient, but it would be appropriate for Mariposa County Transit to define specific days of the week or potential service hours, how many times a month this trip is available, and provide a fare for individuals who might seek to use this service. By having these policies and parameters defined, Mariposa County Transit can avoid situations where potentially unreasonable requests, even if they are unlikely (e.g., daily service at a specific time for one individual to travel from Coulterville to Mariposa) might be made and transit may not have a reasonable basis to decline providing this service.

Implementation of Mobility Management As part of a parallel project, Mariposa County has been working to implement the Coordinated Plan completed in 2008. Based on outcomes of that effort, County staff and elected officials have agreed to implement a mobility management program to coordinate all of the various transportation elements. The role of the mobility management program will be to centralize the various coordinated transportation activities in one place, providing a single link to all of the primary transportation services available to seniors, people with disabilities and people with low incomes. Day-to-day oversight of the mobility management function will be the Mariposa County Transit staff, who will be responsible for organizing the coordination of transportation services in Mariposa County. The mobility management function will be referred to as Mari-Go, with each of the individual programs – transit, group trips, voucher program, etc. – as individual elements under the Mari-Go umbrella. In the immediate term, the function of the Mobility Manager will include the operation of existing Mari-Go transit services. In addition, a number of other functions are identified, as follows: • Providing marketing and outreach. Marketing and outreach will be provided via each of the following: − Printed information. This may include the development of a brochure that describes all of the programs and services offered by the mobility manager. This could also include flyers distributed to local agencies; informational resources for social workers and staff at DHS, the hospital, schools, etc.; posters or bulletins at locations around Mariposa County; advertisements and press releases. − A mobility website. The website should provide a one-stop location for information that details the transportation programs and services available in Mariposa County. It may also provide information about DHS programs, Amtrak, YARTS, transit programs in neighboring counties (to which intercounty service is available), such as The Bus in Merced and Tuolumne County Transit. Over time, the website could also become a tool for reserving transit trips or volunteer driver trips, or for travel planning. − Telephone and in-person assistance (information and referral). One of the key functions of the mobility manager will be to provide assistance to individuals to help them travel in and beyond Mariposa County. Information and referral (I&R) is the practice of providing comprehensive information about a variety of services to ensure that people who are in need of assistance, whether they seek it or not, can access the array of services available to them. This will require an updated database of relevant

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programs and services, and then working with individuals and community representatives through an array of different outreach channels. In Mariposa County, this will include providing assistance to seniors, people with disabilities and others who call and request information about transportation; offering assistance and referrals to agency representatives; offering assistance to transportation program providers; developing and maintaining a database of transportation programs and of services; speaking about programs at community events and agency meetings; and distributing printed information about transportation programs to individuals and agencies that request it. − Implementation of the Mari-Go Transit Marketing Plan. Mari-Go has been waiting to implement the marketing plan for transit services, and many elements of the plan will support this mobility management effort. Although the recommendations in the plan are focused specifically on transit services, in some cases these can be expanded to include volunteer drivers or other programs that are components of the mobility management program. • Providing trip planning and travel navigation assistance. Many mobility managers offer not only referrals to transportation services and programs, but also travel navigation assistance, which means helping a person plan a trip from start to finish, and providing some coordination assistance as needed. Some of this is already being done by Mari-Go staff, but will be formalized as part of the mobility management program. Assistance could include scheduling paratransit connections with operators in neighboring counties, or with specialized or human service transportation providers. • Oversight and implementation of a transportation voucher program. The purpose of a voucher or direct billing program will be to offer transportation services using Mari-Go buses to serve the needs of local organizations and human service providers in Mariposa County. This will allow agencies to purchase transportation services from Mari-Go, YARTS, and other providers for their clients, instead of providing the service themselves. Elements of this program include the following: − Persons who have transportation needs and who are affiliated with a human service agency would be eligible for a voucher provided by that agency. A voucher program has recently been established with DHS – based on that agency’s own expressed interest in such a program – but other organizations and agencies could also participate. − A payment program will be established whereby human service agencies in Mariposa County can purchase trips on transit (or, in the future, on other affiliated providers) at either the regular fare or a reduced cost, possibly by providing some human service funding that can be used for transportation to be paid directly to the mobility manager. This allows some agencies that currently offer transportation services to transition away from providing direct services, while other agencies that desire to provide more transportation service can be reimbursed for the cost of carrying additional passengers. − The mobility manager will oversee the voucher program and help facilitate agency participation in the transportation program. To formalize this practice, the mobility manager would enter into a written agreement to clarify the process for this responsibility and ensure a high level of accountability. • Providing vehicles and drivers for scheduling of special group transportation services. These special group trips will continue a practice already undertaken within Mariposa County, reimbursed by local organizations, events, and human service

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providers. The purpose is to provide a group transportation service for special events, excursions for target populations, and other activities. All of these services will remain available to the public and must be advertised as such to be in conformance with FTA guidelines, and should not be considered special charter services unless the contracting agency has not been able to secure a local private operator to provide the service. Mariposa County will define an appropriate fee per hour or mile for the service to be paid by the contracting agency or the users, and which will allow Mari-Go to meet or exceed its minimum cost recovery requirements. This offers an option for local organizations and agencies to have available bus or shuttle service when needed, depending on the availability and capacity of Mari-Go buses. • Coordinating with public and nonprofit human service programs. Operating a mobility management program will support service coordination to centralize the various coordinated transportation activities in one place in Mariposa County, providing a single link to all of the primary transportation services available to seniors, people with disabilities and people with low incomes. This mobility manager would be the focal point of organizing the coordination of transportation services in Mariposa County, but may not be responsible for operating all of them. • Coordinating with a volunteer driver program. Mariposa County will help develop and encourage the creation of a volunteer driver program within the county. Based on input from staff and Mariposa County supervisors, the program will require separate administrative staff or oversight from the programs overseen by the mobility manager, but could be staffed out of the mobility management program office to allow for close coordination between transit services and volunteer drivers. This program would be implemented to supplement existing transit services, recognizing the limitations of Mari- Go and YARTS (days and hours of service, vehicle types, and level of assistance for individuals). • Participating in and assisting to convene quarterly coordination meetings/workshops. To encourage regional coordination, Mariposa County will bring agency representatives together to meet face-to-face to share program information, keep information about existing programs updated, and find opportunities to share clients, develop new programs, and volunteer to take on program elements in support of the mobility management program. • Oversee a “senior driver safety training program.” This is part of the current programming effort overseen by staff at the Senior Center. Recognizing that driving is an important component of mobility in a rural community, one of the goals of the mobility manager will be to foster safe driving in Mariposa County, teach seniors how to keep alert and active, and to be aware of the travel options available to them if and when they decide to stop driving themselves. In the longer term, once the mobility management program is established and can mature somewhat, this function might include additional elements of interest to stakeholders and the mobility management program staff. These include the potential for a vehicle sharing program to allow agencies to share vehicles with or borrow vehicles from one another or a vehicle pool available to multiple agencies; a taxi voucher program, to encourage taxi service in Mariposa County by using transit funds to subsidize certain types of taxi trips for eligible individuals; or other tools and programs identified during the short-term development of the mobility management program, such as joint vehicle purchasing or implementation of trip planning and dispatch software.

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Marketing Mari-Go is perceived by many Mariposa residents as being exclusively for the use of seniors and people with disabilities. A key part of building ridership on the system will be to change this perception, repositioning Mari-Go in the eyes of the community as a resource for everyone, through a concentrated marketing program. Recognizing this, Mariposa County Transit commissioned a marketing study, completed in June 2010, which assessed the target markets for Mari-Go service and recommended a menu of strategies, as well as a timeline in which to implement them. The study identified a number of groups as targets for marketing efforts including commuters (both workers and students), seniors, people with disabilities, low-income families, people needing medical transport, “gatekeepers”1, and tourists. In addition to these groups, Mari-Go might also target youth for transportation to after-school activities and to special events during the summer when parents are working and are unavailable for daytime trips. Marketing strategies recommended in the study, in priority order, are: • update and widely distribute a new transit information brochure • update and enhance the Mari-Go website • deliver presentations to gatekeeper organizations, including schools, service clubs, and senior centers • create and regularly update billboards in various parts of the county • hold special events such as Free Ride day, and Mari-Go Night at the Fair • develop and distribute posters with transit information for regular and special-event bus service • create and distribute press releases • develop and distribute posters Additional recommended strategies are: Place Ads in the local free press. Comments gathered through the public process for this SRTP indicate that free newspapers are read by a large number of residents in Mariposa. Using art already developed for the brochure and posters, Mari-Go should consider placing display ads with information on regular and special event service, showing both the web site and phone number for more transit information. Advertise on the vehicles. The buses themselves can be used as “rolling billboards” to advertise the transit service. In addition to the phone number currently displayed on Mari-Go vehicles, the design should clearly indicate that this is a general public service, saying, for example, “Open to all” or similar simple language. Publicize through unconventional means. Other suggestions that arose during public workshops were to send information in PG&E bills; send flyers home with students during the first week of school; and provide information on Mari-Go to people who have lost their drivers’ licenses for any reason.

1 Defined as agency or program staff serving the other target market groups, such as social service providers, schools, hospitals, human resource managers, and Yosemite National Park staff.

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A key visual part of all marketing materials should be photos of a wide variety of people riding Mari-Go. Using local residents as models would be particularly effective. In addition to seniors and people with disabilities, photos of riders might include a parent with small children, teenagers with bicycles or skateboards, hikers with backpacks, and people with shopping or grocery bags. These images will help shift the public perception from Mari-Go as a service exclusively for seniors and people with disabilities to a service for everyone.

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Chapter 8. Capital and Financial Plan This chapter presents the operating and capital needs for Mariposa County Transit for the five- year planning period. Operating costs and key assumptions are presented first followed by a review of projected performance indicators. Capital needs are discussed including vehicle replacements and other capital projects. The chapter concludes by presenting a five-year funding plan outlining existing funding sources and potential new funding opportunities.

Operating Cost Projections Service Costs Service costs are projected Mari-Go and Medi-Trans service and the proposed new lifeline service and local circulator route. The major assumptions in estimating service costs are: • Annual service hours for Mari-Go and Medi-Trans are estimated at 5,400 and would remain constant for the next five years. • Lifeline service to Oakhurst would operate two days a week for five hours a day using one vehicle. Service would be initiated in FY 2012/13 and would operate 120 annual service hours. • The local circulator route would be implemented in FY 2012/13 and operate approximately 2.5 hours per day using one bus. Annual service hours are projected at 150. • Hourly costs for all services are projected at $50.56 with an annual inflation rate of 3%. Service costs are estimated at $273,000 in the first year of the plan and increase to nearly $323,000 after five years. This assumes that by FY 2015/16 Mariposa County Transit will be providing three types of service and operating 5,670 annual service hours.

Other Operating Costs In addition to service costs, the following cost categories are attributed to Mariposa County Transit: • Mobility Management – Mariposa County Transit staff is in the process of implementing many of the elements of the Mobility Management program including marketing and public information, a voucher program and other coordination activities. In the first year of the Plan, $15,000 is budgeted and $10,000 is budgeted each year for the next four years. • Administrative Support – An additional part-time position is recommended to support Mariposa County Transit beginning in FY 2012/13 when new services are proposed. $20,000 in salary and benefits has been estimated for a part-time Transit Coordinator. • YART funding contribution of $136,360 is held constant in each year of the plan. If, however, YARTS is expanded, then the County’s share would likely increase and could be based on a new formula that includes service hours or miles. Given these assumptions, total operating costs for Mariposa County Transit is projected at $424,400 in FY 2011/12 and would gradually increase to $469,000 in FY 2015/16 as shown in Figure 8-1. In the top half of this figure operating costs are laid out and the bottom half presents operating revenues, discussed on pages 8-4 through 8-6, at the conclusion of this chapter.

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Figure 8-1 Operating Costs and Revenue Projections

FY 2011/12 FY 2012/13 FY 2013/14 FY 2014/15 FY 2015/16

Service Hours Dial-A-Ride and Medi-Trans 5,400 5,400 5,400 5,400 5,400

Lifeline Service to Oakhurst 120 120 120 120

Local Circulator Route 150 150 150 150

Total Service Hours 5,400 5,670 5,670 5,670 5,670

Operating Service Costs Dial-A-Ride and Medi-Trans $273,039 $281,230 $289,667 $298,357 $307,307

Lifeline Service to Oakhurst $6,250 $6,437 $6,630 $6,829

Local Circulator Route $7,812 $8,046 $8,288 $8,536

Subtotal Costs $273,039 $295,291 $304,150 $313,274 $322,673

Mobility Management (1) $15,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000

Administrative Support (Part Time Position) $20,000 $20,000 $20,000 $20,000

YARTS Funding Contribution $136,360 $136,360 $136,360 $136,360 $136,360

Total Transit Operating Costs $424,399 $461,651 $450,510 $459,634 $469,033

Operating Revenues FTA Section 5311 $70,500 $70,500 $70,500 $70,500 $70,500

State Transit Assistance (STA) $42,000 $42,000 $42,000 $42,000 $42,000

Older Americans Act (Area Agency on Aging (AAA) Funds $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000

Passenger Fares $25,515 $30,849 $32,789 $34,730 $40,452

Subtotal Operating Revenues $168,015 $173,349 $175,289 $177,230 $182,952

TDA Required to Balance the Budget $256,384 $288,302 $275,221 $282,405 $286,081

Total Operating Revenues $424,399 $461,651 $450,510 $459,634 $469,033

Notes: (1) Mobility management functions include marketing and public information. See Chapter 7 for details. Assumes hourly operating costs increase 3% per year.

Performance Indicators Projected performance for Mariposa is presented in Figure 8-2. It shows ridership increases from its current annual 7,300 figure to over just over 12,000 passengers after five years. Productivity as measured by passengers per hour is expected to increase to about two passengers per hour, just below the proposed performance target1 of three hourly passengers. The cost per passenger is projected to drop to about $28, exceeding the proposed standard of $30.00. The farebox

1 Refer to Chapter 6, pages 6-8 and 6-9 for discussion of performance standards for Mariposa County Transit.

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recovery ratio is expected to reach the 10% state requirement in two years and climb to 12% by the last year of the Plan. Mariposa County Transit is encouraged to closely monitor the farebox recovery ratio and increase fares only if needed to reach the state requirement in the next five years. Figure 8-2 Performance Indicators

FY 2011/12 FY 2012/13 FY 2013/14 FY 2014/15 FY 2015/16 Operating and Financial Projections Operating Costs (1) $273,039 $315,291 $324,150 $333,274 $342,673 Service Hours 5,400 5,670 5,670 5,670 5,670 Ridership 7,290 9,414 9,980 10,547 12,194 Passenger Fares $25,515 $30,849 $32,789 $34,730 $40,452 Performance Indicators Cost/Hour $50.56 $55.61 $57.17 $58.78 $60.44

Cost/Passenger $37.45 $33.49 $32.48 $31.60 $28.10

Passengers/Hour 1.4 1.7 1.8 1.9 2.2

Farebox Recovery Ratio 9.3% 9.8% 10.1% 10.4% 11.8%

Subsidy/Passenger $33.95 $30.21 $29.19 $28.31 $24.78 (1) Excludes YARTS contribution and mobility management costs.

Capital Requirements The primary capital needs of Mariposa County Transit are vehicle replacements. Other capital requirements include bus stops and shelters if the proposed local circulator route is implemented. The capital projects and their costs are presented in Figure 8-3 and discussed below. Figure 8-3 Five-Year Capital Budget

Capital Expense Item FY 2011/12 FY 2012/13 FY 2013/14 FY 2014/15 FY 2015/16 5-Year Total

Vehicle Replacements (1) $0 $82,400 $0 $87,418 $0 $169,818

Bus Stops Signs(2) $6,000 $0 $0 $0 $0 $6,000

Benches & Shelters (3) $8,000 $10,000 $0 $0 $0 $18,000

Automated Scheduling Software $0 $0 $0 $35,000 $0 $35,000

Miscellaneous Capital Expenses $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $50,000

Total Capital Expenses $24,000 $102,400 $10,000 $132,418 $10,000 $278,818

Capital Revenues

Proposition 1B $14,000 $10,000 $0 $35,000 $0 $59,000

TDA (4) $10,000 $92,400 $10,000 $97,418 $10,000 $219,818

Total Capital Funding $24,000 $102,400 $10,000 $132,418 $10,000 $278,818 (1) Assumes replacement of two vehicles; the 2006 Ford Transporter and the 2008 Ford Stagecraft. Both vehicles replaced with Stagecrats @ $80,000/vehicle. (2) Assumes 12 bus stops for local circulator at $500/stop. (3) Assumes 12 benches and two bus shelters (4) Capital funding could be drawn from TDA, STA or FTA 5311 Funds. Assumes 3% annual inflation factor.

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Vehicle Replacement Mariposa County Transit is in the process of replacing two of its oldest vehicles – the two Chevrolets with a five passenger seating capacity. In the next five years, two vehicles in the fleet will need to be replaced. Both the 2006 and 2008 Ford vehicles will have reached their useful life and should be replaced with a Starcraft bus with a seating capacity of 14 plus two wheelchair tie downs. This type of vehicle will match the two 2011 Starcraft vehicles and provide Mariposa County with a consistent fleet. All vehicles should be painted with the new Mari-Go logo including phone number and state this is a public transit service. The Plan assumes that all vehicles will continue to be housed at the transit agency offices on Spriggs Lane in Mariposa and maintained by the DPW Fleet Department.

Bus Stops and Shelters Assuming the County decides to move towards a local circulator route in Mariposa, then bus stops will need to be established. At the bare minimum, bus stop signs will need to be created and installed and poles will need to be placed to attach the signs if light poles or other poles are not available. Benches at each stop are also desirable. The County will also want to consider shelters at highly utilized stops like the Human Services Center and at the Public Parking Lot on Stroming Rd. The capital budget estimates 12 benches and two bus shelters for a total of $18,000.

Dispatch and Scheduling Software To enhance dial-a-ride operations, Mariposa County Transit should further explore the benefits of purchasing and installing a computerized dispatch and scheduling software package. The system could also have Automated Vehicle Locator (AVL) capability and mobile data terminals (MDT's). $35,000 is budgeted in the capital plan in FY 2014/15. This will give the County about three years to further evaluate the costs and benefits of implementing this technology and in exploring vendor options and installation costs.

Miscellaneous Capital Expenses This is an on-going expense to replace and upgrade office equipment including computers, hardware, software and office furniture. Over the next five years, $10,000 per year is programmed for office equipment. TDA funds could be used to pay for this minor capital expense over the five-year period.

Existing Operating and Capital Revenues This section presents an overview of the funds currently used by Mariposa County Transit to pay for both operations and capital purchases. This Plan assumes that these funds will continue to be available in the next five years. The revenues to support day-to-day operations and the estimated amounts are shown in the bottom portion of Figure 8-1. Capital revenues to pay for the capital projects are listed in the lower half of Figure 8-3. These funding sources are discussed below.

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FTA Section 5311 Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5311 funds are distributed to non-urbanized areas with populations under 50,000 people. These funds may be used for transit capital and operating purposes. In recent years, Mariposa County has been using their FTA 5311 grant funds to support day-today operations. This Plan assumes status quo funding for the next five years at $42,000/year.

Older Americans Act (OAA) The Older Americans Act was signed into law in 1965 amidst growing concern over seniors’ access to health care and their general well-being. The Act established the federal Administration on Aging (AoA), and charged the agency with advocating on behalf of an estimated 46 million Americans 60 or older. Transportation is a permitted use of funds under the Act, providing needed access to nutrition and other services offered by the AoA, as well as to medical and other essential services required by an aging population. Funds are awarded by formula for providing supportive services to older persons, including operation of senior centers. The Plan assumes $30,000 per year from this fund source.

Transportation Development Act (TDA) The California Transportation Development Act has two funding sources that are locally derived and locally administered: 1) Local Transportation Fund (LTF) and 2) State Transit Assistance Fund (STAF). For most California transit services, TDA funds are the largest single source of operating revenue.

Local Transportation Funds Local Transportation Funds (LTF) are intended to be “transit first” funding, meaning that funds are expected to be spent on transit projects to the extent that such projects are needed to fill all “transit needs that are reasonable to meet”. There is no universally accepted definition of reasonable to meet, and individual jurisdictions must make their own determination. The Mariposa Transportation Commission administers an annual “unmet needs” process to ensure that all reasonable transit needs are met. TDA funds can be used for capital expenditures or operations or a combination thereof, and, importantly, they provide an important source of local match for federal capital funding. Since this funding is tied directly to tax revenues that fluctuate with the state of the economy, TDA allocations are expected to remain flat in the coming years. This forecast is intended to be conservative. LTF funds in Mariposa County are used for both day-to-day operations for Mariposa County Transit and for capital purchases as well as support for YARTS service.

State Transportation Assistance Funds (STAF) STAF are revenues derived from sales taxes on gasoline and diesel fuels. STAF is allocated annually by the Mariposa Transportation Commission. Unlike LTF which may be allocated to other purposes, STAF revenues may be used only for public transit or transportation services. In January 2009, the State of California suspended funding distributions through the STAF as a result of reduced revenues and statewide fiscal crisis. Funds are now flowing but at a much reduced level. This Plan assumes that the $42,000 annual allocation will remain flat for the next five years.

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Proposition 1B In 2007, California Voters passed Proposition 1B, which provided the State of California the Authority to sell bonds for capital infrastructure improvements for transportation related projects. Mariposa County has been allocated Proposition 1B funds and since no funds have been spent to date, the County has accumulated $59,000. This Plan proposes that these funds be used in the next five years for bus stops and shelters and scheduling software.

Fare Revenue Farebox revenues are a small yet important component for all transit services. The Transportation Development Act (TDA) requires Mariposa County Transit, classified as a rural operator, to maintain a minimum 10% farebox recovery ratio. Fare revenues are based on the projected average fare and ridership for each type of service. For Dial-A-Ride service, the average fare per passenger is $3.50. For the proposed local circulator route, the average fare is assumed to be $1.50. Fare revenues are presented in the financial plan and are expected to increase from approximately $25,000 in the first year of the Plan to $40,000 by year 5, with a projected farebox recovery ratio exceeding the 10% requirement.

Potential Revenue Sources

In addition to the existing revenue sources described above, there are other fund sources which could be used for capital purchases and to help support operation. These sources and their potential availability for Mariposa County Transit are presented below.

FTA Section 5316 - Job Access and Reverse Commute (JARC) The purpose of the JARC program is to fund local programs that offer job access services for low- income individuals. JARC funds are distributed to states on a formula basis, depending on that state’s rate of low-income population. This approach differs from previous funding cycles, when grants were awarded purely on an “earmark” basis. JARC funds will pay for up to 50% of operating funds to support the project budget, and 80% for a capital project. The remaining funds are required to be provided through local match sources. Examples of eligible JARC projects include: • Late-night and weekend service • Guaranteed Ride Home Programs • Vanpools or shuttle services to improve access to employment or training sites • Car-share or other projects to improve access to autos • Access to child care and training The JARC program would be an excellent fund source to pay for enhanced services for residents in training programs or requiring access to child care.

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MARIPOSA COUNTY LOCAL TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

FTA Section 5317 - New Freedom Program The New Freedom Program provides funding to serve persons with disabilities. Overall, the purpose of the program is to go “beyond” the minimal requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Funds are distributed to states based on that state’s population of persons with disabilities. The same match requirements as for JARC apply for the New Freedom Program. Examples of eligible New Freedom Program projects include: • Expansion of paratransit service hours or service area beyond minimal requirements • Purchase of accessible taxi or other vehicles • Promotion of accessible ride sharing or vanpool programs • Administration of volunteer programs • Building curb-cuts, providing accessible bus stops • Travel Training programs These funds could be an excellent source to help implement the Coordinated Plan.

FTA Section 5311(f) - Rural Funding Funding for the Section 5311 formula grant program supports transit in rural areas and small urban areas (less than 50,000 in population). Fifteen percent of California’s Section 5311 apportionment is set-aside for the Intercity Bus Program, Section 5311(f). The Intercity Bus Program funds public transit projects that serve the intercity travel needs of Californians in non- urbanized areas. Projects are awarded on a statewide competitive basis. This program funds operating and capital costs, as well as planning for service. Mariposa County could apply for these funds for the proposed service to Oakhurst although it would have to compete on a statewide basis.

Merchants/Business Associations Local businesses will often be interested in advertising on bus stop benches and shelters in communities where they do business. Often the management of advertising benches and shelters can be contracted out for the system. Generally, in these programs the transit agency would not have to pay anything for the benches; the contractor maintains the benches. This program has been successful elsewhere and could be an option in Mariposa.

Financial Summary Figure 8-4 presents the combined operating and capital costs and shows the funding sources and projected amounts to cover all expenses over the next five years. The top portion of the figure shows operating and capital costs and total system expenses. Costs are highest in years 2 and 4 when vehicles are budgeted for replacement. Operating and capital revenues include FTA Section 5311, and a combination of other local revenues along with passenger fares. These funding sources cover the annual operating requirement and the fluctuating annual amount needed for capital purchases.

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MARIPOSA COUNTY LOCAL TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

Figure 8-4 Summary Five - Year Financial Plan

FY 2011/12 FY 2012/13 FY 2013/14 FY 2014/15 FY 2015/16

System Expenses Operating Expenses $424,399 $461,651 $450,510 $459,634 $469,033 Capital Expenses (1) $24,000 $102,400 $10,000 $132,418 $10,000 Total Expenses $448,399 $564,051 $460,510 $592,053 $479,033

Revenues Passenger Fares $25,515 $30,849 $32,789 $34,730 $40,452 FTA 5311 Funds $70,500 $70,500 $70,500 $70,500 $70,500 Proposition 1B $14,000 $10,000 $0 $35,000 $0 AAA $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 $30,000 STA $42,000 $42,000 $42,000 $42,000 $42,000 TDA (Capital & Operating) $266,384 $380,702 $285,221 $379,823 $296,081 Total Revenues $448,399 $564,051 $460,510 $592,053 $479,033

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APPENDIX A MEETING FLYER

HELP IMPROVE TRANSIT SERVICE in MARIPOSA COUNTY on MARI-GO

YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND ONE OF TWO MEETINGS:

Coulterville Wednesday March 30, 2011 1 PM to 3 PM Coulterville Community Center, Broadway Road, Coulterville

Mariposa Thursday March 31, 2011 10 AM to NOON Mariposa Senior Center, 5246 Spriggs Lane , Mariposa

To arrange transportation to either meeting please call (209) 966-5315 by 5pm Monday March 28.

Help shape the future of public transit for Mariposa County.  Learn about the Mari-Go and Medi-Trans service.  Provide input on community needs and priorities for service improvements.  Share your experiences and views on current and future transit options.

All locations are wheelchair accessible, and can be reached on Mari-Go. To arrange transportation to either meeting please call (209) 966-5315 by 5pm Monday March 28.

For more information, contact Mariposa County Transit at: (209) 966-5315

APPENDIX B MEETING HANDOUT

Mariposa County Transportation Commission Short Range Transit Plan

What is a “Short Range Transit Plan”?  Comprehensive Transit Plan that o Describes current service (ridership, funding, costs) o Projects future needs (5 - 10 years out) o Helps the transit agency get Federal and State funding  A very important part of the SRTP is hearing concerns and needs from the public. These meetings are part of that effort.

Work Scope, Deliverables and Schedule for the Mariposa SRTP Phase Deliverable(s) Completion Timeframe Outreach . Stakeholder Interviews  . On-Board Passenger Survey February - March .  Public Workshops  Community Profile and Existing . Existing Conditions Report April Transit Services Goals, Objectives & Performance . Memorandum on Goals, Objectives April Standards and Performance Standards Funding Scenarios and Service . Memorandum on Funding and May Alternatives Service Alternatives Capital and Financial Plan . Draft and Final Financial Plan May Draft and Final Plan . Draft SRTP . Final SRTP June . Presentation of SRTP 

Purpose of this Meeting We would like to find out from you - Where you need to go that you can’t get to now on transit - Days or times when you need to travel that you can’t use transit now Other factors that would make Mari-Go and Medi-Trans easier for you to use, such as:  stop locations  information on using Mari-Go & Medi-Trans  using the reservation system  vehicle cleanliness and comfort  driver skill and courtesy  transferring to other buses or other systems

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About Mari-Go and Medi-Trans Mariposa County Transit (Mari-Go) provides general public, door-to-door, dial-a- ride service for Mariposa County with designated service areas on specific days. Riders must call ahead to arrange for a ride. Medi-Trans is a medical dial-a-ride service for seniors (60 or over) and veterans, which operates from locations in Mariposa County to medical offices in northern and central California. Mari-Go and Medi-Trans are funded with a combination of Federal and State grants and fares from riders.

On-Board Surveys - Summary Distributed on all bus routes, first two weeks in March; 45 were returned. Overall people are very happy with the service, with 98% rating Mari-Go services “Very Good” or “Excellent”. Improvements wanted:

Saturday service

Service to *

Sunday service

Earlier morning service

Regular Bus Routes

Later evening service

Better transfer connections

0246810121416

* Fresno (Medical) (2), Hospital, Oakhurst (7), Atwater (2), Raley's , Movies

You can send any questions or further comments to: Linda Rhine or Valerie Taylor Nelson\Nygaard Consulting 116 New Montgomery St., Ste. 500 San Francisco, CA 94105 PHONE: 415-284-1544 EMAIL: [email protected] or [email protected]

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APPENDIX C NEWSPAPER AD

Placed in the Mariposa Gazette, March 17 and March 24, 2011

HELP IMPROVE TRANSIT SERVICE in MARIPOSA COUNTY on MARI-GO and MEDI-TRANS Mariposa County Transit is hosting two meetings to collect your comments on transit in Mariposa County. Coulterville Wed. March 30, 2011 1 PM to 3 PM Coulterville Community Center, Broadway Road

Mariposa Thurs. March 31, 2011 10 AM to NOON Mariposa Senior Center, 5246 Spriggs Lane, Mariposa

All locations are wheelchair accessible, and can be reached on Mari-Go. To arrange transportation to either meeting, or for more information, please call (209) 966-5315 by 5pm Monday March 28.

APPENDIX D MARIPOSA MEETING SIGN-IN SHEET

APPENDIX E SURVEYS - MARI-GO AND MEDI-TRANS

Mari-Go Transit Rider Survey DAILY Mariposa Local Today’s Date:______Mari-Go Transit is conducting a passenger survey to assess your transit needs and evaluate the transit service. Your response is very important for planning and improving transit services. Please complete this survey while you are on the bus and return the form to the driver. Your answers are completely confidential. Thank you very much for your time! IF YOU HAVE ALREADY FILLED OUT A SURVEY THIS WEEK, PLEASE DO NOT FILL OUT ANOTHER ONE.

1. What is your home ZIP code? ______7. How will you get to your final destination from 2. What is the primary purpose of your trip today? where you are dropped off? 1. Walk 4. Bicycle 1. Work 4. Recreation 2. Drive 5. Other______2. School 5. Shopping 3. Get a ride ______3. Medical 6. Other______

3. In what community did your trip start today? 8. Will you need to transfer to another bus or service to complete this trip? ______1. Yes 2. No 4. In what community will your trip end? 9. If Yes, to which bus (or other transit) system? ______1. YARTS 4. Greyhound 5. Are you making a round trip today? 2. Merced County 5. Amtrak

1. Yes 2. No Transit "The Bus" 3. Tuolumne

6. How did you get to where the bus picked you up County Transit today? 10. If this service were not available, how would you 1. Was picked up 5. Bicycled make this trip? (Check your best option) right where I was 1. Would not have 4. Get a ride from 2. Walked 6. Transferred from made this trip – someone else another bus transit is my 5. Walk 3. Drove 7. Other______only option 4. Got a ride 2. Bicycle 6. Hitchhike 3. Drive my own car 7. Other

11. Please rate the Mari-Go system by putting an X in the box that best describes your opinion. Strongly Don't Strongly agree Agree know Disagree disagree The driver was courteous and helpful. The driver is skillful. The bus is clean. The bus is comfortable. The scheduled hours and days meet my needs. The web site has the information I need. The printed brochure has the information I need. The fare is reasonable. Arranging for a ride is easy.

Continued on reverse  12. Overall, how would you rate Mari-Go? 14. How often do you take the bus?

1. Poor 4. Very Good 1. Five trips per week 4. 2 to 3 times 2. Fair 5. Excellent a month 3. Good 2. Two to four trips 5. Once a month 13. Please rank the top 3 improvements you would like a week 3. Once a week 6. Very rarely / not to see on Mari-Go. (1 = Most desired improvement, before today 2 = 2nd most desired, 3 = 3rd most desired) 15. How long have you ridden the Mari-Go bus? Regular bus routes (buses on a set schedule and route) 1. This is my first time 4. Six months to a year 2. Less than 5. One to three years

Better bus transfer connections three months 3. Three to six 6. More than

Service to ______months three years

16. Are you 1. Male 2. Female

Earlier morning service (how early?______) 17. How old are you?

1. Under 16 5. 35-54 Later evening service (how late?______) 2. 16-18 6. 55-64 3. 19-24 7. 65 to 74

Saturday service 4. 25-34 8. 75 and over

18. What is your annual household income? Sunday service 1. Under $5,000 5. $50,000 - $74,999 2. $5,000 - $9,999 6. $75,000 - $99,999 Other ______3. $10,000 - $24,999 7. $100,000 or more 4. $25,000 - $49,999

19. Please share any comments or suggestions you have about this transit service.

______

THANK YOU VERY MUCH! PLEASE RETURN THIS TO THE DRIVER AS YOU LEAVE THE BUS. Medi-Trans Rider Survey Today’s Date:______

Mari-Go Transit is conducting a passenger survey to assess your transit needs and evaluate the Medi-Trans service. Your response is very important for planning and improving transit services. Please complete this survey while you are on the bus and return the form to the driver. Your answers are completely confidential. Thank you very much for your time!

IF YOU HAVE ALREADY FILLED OUT A SURVEY THIS WEEK, PLEASE DO NOT FILL OUT ANOTHER ONE.

1. What is your home ZIP code? ______3. Are you making a round trip today? 2. What is the primary purpose of your trip today? 1. Yes 2. No 1. Medical 4. Pharmacy (picking up 4. If this service were not available, how would you appointment a prescription) make this trip? (Check your best option) 2. Dental 5. Other______appointment ______1. Would not have 4. Get a ride from 3. Physical therapy made this trip – someone else transit is my 5. Hitchhike only option 2. Bicycle 6. Other______3. Drive my own car ______

5. Please rate the Medi-Trans system by putting an X in the box that best describes your opinion. Strongly Don't Strongly agree Agree know Disagree disagree The drivers are courteous and helpful. The drivers are skillful. The vehicle is clean. The vehicle is comfortable. The web site has the information I need. The printed brochure has the information I need. The fare is reasonable. Arranging for a ride is easy.

6. Overall, how would you rate the Medi-Trans service?

1. Poor 2. Fair 3. Good 4. Very Good 5. Excellent

Continued on reverse  7. Please rank the top 3 improvements you would like 8. How often do you take Medi-Trans? to see on Medi-Trans. (1 = Most desired improvement, 2 = 2nd most 1. Two to four trips 4. Once a month desired, 3 = 3rd most desired) a week 2. Once a week 5. Very rarely / not

Service to ______before today 3. 2 to 3 times a month Earlier morning service (how early?______) 9. How long have you used the Medi-Trans service?

Later evening service (how late?______) 1. This is my first time 4. Six months to a year 2. Less than 5. One to three years

Easier reservation system three months 3. Three to six 6. More than months three years Service on Saturdays 10. Are you 1. Male 2. Female

Service on Sundays 11. How old are you?

1. Under 16 5. 35-54

Other ______2. 16-18 6. 55-64 3. 19-24 7. 65 to 74 4. 25-34 8. 75 and over 12. What is your annual household income?

1. Under $5,000 5. $50,000 - $74,999 2. $5,000 - $9,999 6. $75,000 - $99,999 3. $10,000 - $24,999 7. $100,000 or more 4. $25,000 - $49,999

13. Please share any comments or suggestions you have about this transit service.

______

THANK YOU VERY MUCH! PLEASE RETURN THIS TO THE DRIVER AS YOU LEAVE THE BUS.